


Colour of your Soul

by Kiss_The_Falling_Sky



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Canon Timeline, Dirty Talk, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Hand Jobs, M/M, Public Hand Jobs, Slow Burn, Smut, Spanking, otayuri mention, seungchuchu mention, the more i write the more tags i have to add, very very gay, viktuuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2018-11-20 14:59:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 78,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11337840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiss_The_Falling_Sky/pseuds/Kiss_The_Falling_Sky
Summary: Legends spoke of a world of colour, one before everything suddenly turned monochrome. The sky was blue, the grass was green and everything would probably be a lot brighter. Yuuri had always been fascinated by what books told him about the time before the world turned grey, and he always wondered what it would be like to live in a world different from his own. Apparently though, there was still a way for people to see colour again, and they were at a point that now most of the population could see it. Finding your Soulmate, and looking into their eyes.





	1. One Night Was All It Took

Legends spoke of a world of colour, one before everything suddenly turned monochrome. The sky was blue, the grass was green and everything would probably be a lot brighter. Yuuri had always been fascinated by what books told him about the time before the world turned grey, and he always wondered what it would be like to live in a world different from his own. Apparently though, there was still a way for people to see colour again, and they were at a point that now most of the population could see it. Finding your Soulmate, and looking into their eyes. 

Yuuri wasn’t sure if he believed in the whole Soulmate thing at first, he kind of thought his parents were making it up, even though now that sounds ridiculous to him. The thing that eventually convinced him that it was real, was when Yuuko and Nishigori looked into each other’s eyes one day. They met at the rink like normal, and as they said hello their eyes met...and Yuuko described it as a strange sensation at first, then she noticed the dark brown colour of his eyes. That’s what convinced him, and yet he still didn’t believe he’d ever see colour. Yuuko and Nishigori were 11 when they became Soulmates, yet Yuuri was currently 23 and he still only saw monochrome. 

At the age of 12, he’d resigned to spending life alone, that was until he first go to see Viktor Nikiforov skating live. He saw a man in front of him that he would sell his body and soul to be the Soulmate of, then again he figured there were thousands out there who felt the same. He’d admired Viktor since he’d started skating, and as he’d gotten older the idea of being his Soulmate had gotten more appealing. But at the same time, while everyone he knew was falling in love, finding their Soulmate, Yuuri was just...left behind. Even Phichit had a Soulmate now, Sueng-Gil who was a skater from Korea. The two had met for a competition and were the very definition of love at first sight. If he was perfectly honest with himself, Yuuri supposed that Viktor had found his Soulmate years ago. He was a skating god with the body to match so it wasn’t going to be hard for him. In all honesty he would have given anything to have those beautiful blue eyes be the first drop of colour he ever sees (the only reason he knew Viktor’s eye colour was because he'd read an article, and Yuuko went on and on about them).

After Yuuri flopped miserably at his first GPF final, he hit an all time low, not just in his own mental health, which was pretty shot to begin with, but his opinion on Soulmates too. He figured that he was just going to die alone, and if not alone he’d be working the Onsen with Mari along with a good 13 dogs, probably all of them poodles. It didn’t sound bad, if he was being honest, the number of poodles more than making up for the lack of colour in his life. 

“Yuri…” A familiar Russian accent.

He could vaguely hear Moruka asking him questions but his mind was too occupied for him to listen. His head snapped round and saw Viktor, only just processing that he had said his name. Viktor knew his name?! How was that possible?! His head snapped around, and he felt like a hand had closed around his heart and was squeezing on it. Of course Viktor wasn't talking to him. He watched as the Russian walked by with the Junior Yuri, going over his performance. 

Part of him wanted Viktor to turn and look at him, to meet his eyes and experience that wonderful burst of colour. The Russian did indeed end up turning around, but there was nothing. No sensation, nothing. Just that perfect smile, in black and white.

“Wanna take a photo? Sure thing!” He sang when he realised Yuri was looking at him.

He wanted to speak, wanted to say yes so so so badly. However, his voice caught in his throat, the anxiety of talking to his long term idol (and crush) proving too much for him. He looked away and walked off, ignoring the calls from Celestino. This day just kept getting worse, and he couldn't really wait until he got home, not looking forward to the banquet. 

Socialising was not high in his list of things he wanted to do, so when he got back to his hotel room, he pulled off his clothes and hid under the covers of his bed. That's when the tears hit him again. He tried not to, remembering what Yuri Plistesky had said to him the last time he had a little cry, but Yuuri had always been told crying was a good thing. He felt the tears run hotly down his face, and it felt good to properly get all of it out. 

Eventually, Celestino came in and made an attempt to get him into a suit for the banquet. It was lucky he came early, because it took half an hour to get the Japanese skater ready and even longer to get him out of the door.

“Come on Yuuri, just relax! This is where you have fun!”

“Wanna go to bed…” He mumbled, looking around the room.

He spotted the usual crowd, a bunch of coaches and skaters, even ones who didn't make it to the final. Celestino told him that he should be happy, seeing as he was one of the best skaters in the world the best in his country, but he had come sixth so that didn't really help. 

After a while, Celestino had to leave to answer a call from his wife, Yuuri remembered him saying they'd been Soulmates for years, so he left him on his own. In all honesty, he figured it probably would have been easier for him just to go home and get someone else to tell his coach, but that's when he noticed the enticing glasses of Champagne. Just one couldn't hurt...right?  
***  
When Yuuri woke up that morning, his head was killing him and his mouth was dry. He put two and two together pretty quickly and realised that the one glass of alcohol turned into at least 5. He was hungover. He groaned quietly, not wanting to think about anything he'd done when he was drunk; he hoped the other skaters had the decency to not go sharing that round. He sat up and felt around for his glasses, but as he put them on something was...off. He blinked a couple of times, letting his eyes focus and...he wasn't in his room. There was no way this could be his room it was too fancy for one thing! Oh god had he had a one night stand with one of the reporters!? He looked around again and found his clothes neatly folded on a chair, their being so close bringing a sigh. He was about to get up and put them on, when the door opened and in walked…

“Ah, Katsuki! You're awake!” 

Viktor...fucking...Nikiforov. Yuuri’s eyes widened at the implications of the situation. Had he and Viktor had sex!? What had he told him!? Who topped!? The Japanese man paused at that last thought, realising how unnecessary and unwelcome it was. Viktor was smiling brightly, somehow balancing two plates on one arm. That was impressive.

“How are you feeling? I brought breakfast!” he didn't see at all phased by his presence.

“Uh...thanks…” he mumbled taking the plate.

They ate in silence, but Yuuri’s mind was too loud. All he could think about that one way or another, he could have been making love with his idol (and crush) last night...and he couldn’t even remember it! As he chewed aggressively on some toast, he felt Viktor staring at him. 

“Um...Nikiforov-san…?” He kept his head down.

“Da~?” he sang.

“Um...why am I here? In your room?”

The Russian looked at him, then he smiled even more and started to laugh. He was laughing!? What did that mean!? He must have looked confused, because the laughter died down.

“After you got wasted on Champagne I offered to take you back to your room. On our way I realised I don't actually know where your room is, so I brought you to mine.” 

Ok, that made sense...but that didn't explain his lack of clothes! At least he still had his underwear on, that would have been a complete nightmare worthy of a meltdown. 

“We didn't...do anything...did we?” He put emphasis in the do to indicate what he meant.

“Unfortunately not, though not for your lack of trying. You did as...hey where are you going?”

As he'd started talking, Yuuri had began to pull on his clothes. The fact that he'd even tried it with Viktor was enough to make his stomach roll, and with a hangover that was the last thing he needed. He ran his fingers through his hair, checked he still had his room key and then bowed politely.

“Thank you very much for taking care of me, I apologise for any trouble I may have caused.”

“Katsuki-”

“I'll leave now, I've intruded for too long.” He made for the door.

“Yuuri!”

Maybe Viktor thought using his first name would make him stay, but it only made his heart tighten. He walked out of the room, but as soon as he was in the hallway he broke into a run. He didn't know if Viktor had followed him, he just made for the stairs, figuring the elevator would take too long to arrive. He was shocked that he didn’t trip all the way down, as he got onto his floor and into his room.

When he shut and locked the door behind him, his released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He couldn't believe that had actually happened...what if someone had seen him?! No...no one had been in the corridor he ran down. He went and sat down on the bed, trying to wrap his head about what had just gone on. Viktor took him back to his room, undressed him, kept him safe through the night, and then got him breakfast. Normally, this would be the perfect situation but to Yuuri...his life wasn’t a fairytale. He’d failed miserably at achieving his dream, he’d made a fool of himself in front of all of those people...including Viktor. 

He spent the time until Celestino came to take him back to Detroit planning what to do. He wasn’t sure if he could continue skating after this. Maybe...he should retire like Plisetsky said. His Italian coach soon came, and it was time to go. Away from the skating...away from Viktor...away from all of it. As they headed for the exit, Yuuri explained his decision.

“Are you sure you want to retire Yuuri? It’s a big decision to make on one failure.”

“I’m certain...I’m sorry…” He sighed.

“Don’t apologise kid. You’ve gotta do what’s best for you. You’re gonna stay in college?” He ruffled his hair.

He nodded, and Celestino mirrored the movement. He wrapped his arm around him and pulled him close as they walked, it was a comforting feeling. As the coach checked them out Yuuri shot off some quick messages to his family about what was happening. He knew they were all probably asleep, but the messages would be there when they woke up. 

Yuuri fiddled with his phone, kind of staring off into space, when a familiar figure walked by. He looked up and immediately looked away as Viktor’s head turned towards him. He knew it was a little petty for him to try and avoid him now, but he couldn’t think of anything else to do. He heard footsteps coming towards him, and he closed his eyes, anticipating that soft Russian accent. 

“Katsuki-”

“Yuuri, let's go.” Celestino nodded.

The Japanese man slid out of his chair and all but ran across the room to his coach’s side. Part of him was relieved, he couldn't face him, even though nothing had happened, he still felt so...embarrassed. As they went through the door to the car, he risked a quick look back, and saw Viktor staring at him. When the taxi door shut, Yuuri got the gut wrenching feeling that this was far from the last time he'd see Viktor Nikiforov in person.


	2. Coming Home

Stepping of the train in Hasetsu’s small station was kind of like travelling back in time. Yuuri couldn't quite believe he hadn't been in his home town for five years, if he was honest it felt like much much longer. The place hadn't changed all that much, except there were elevated tracks now. He, on the other hand, had changed considerably in those five years. He now had a degree that he knew he probably wasn't going to use, he had also gained...not a lot of weight but enough that if he wasn't wearing such a large coat it would be noticeable. 

He pulled his face mask down and looked around the monochrome train station he'd grown up with. The same grey city. The same grey life. He sighed, closing his eyes until he stepped off the elevator. He focused for a second, before something between a gasp and a high pitched shriek escaped his lips. There he was...on a poster...in the station. Why the hell were they up there?!

“Yuuuuri~” A familiar voice sang at him.

He turned slowly and saw his old family friend Minako standing with a banner with his name on. He groaned quietly, and knew immediately that the trip back to the family hot spring was going to be less than easy.  
***  
By the time he got home, the only thing Yuuri wanted to do was sleep. Sleep away the memories of everything that had happened at the Grand Prix. It had been haunting him since he left and it was sort of getting at him now. Not in a way that made him sad, more frustrated now. A certain Russian man being the center of his thoughts, he was astounded that he'd even passed his finals, let alone achieved the grade he did. 

When he stepped through the door, his mother immediately ran to him for a tight hug. Minako was saying something, but his attention was making sure Hiroko didn't trip and fall on her way to greet him. She grinned up at him.

“Welcome home Yuuri!” she sighed happily.

“Hey Mom. Sorry it's been so long.” he looked at his feet.

“That doesn't matter now, you're here. Want some Katsudon?” She asked.

Yuuri was about to say yes, when Minako grabbed his shoulder. Oh hell! She'd noticed all the weight he'd gained! He tried to slip out of her grasp and head further inside, but she pulled off his coat and screamed, attracting the attention of his father.

“Wow Yuuri! You look just like your Mom!”

“Dad…” Yuuri sighed, looking round at his father. 

They continued to talk, but Yuuri ended up tuning them all out. Their voices suddenly felt too loud, so he excused himself. There was somewhere he wanted to be anyway. 

He'd never blame Vic-chan for causing him to fail so badly at the GPF, but he knew the grief of losing one of his best friends may have contributed to his less than good mental state. Yuuri sat on his knees and held the picture of him and the puppy, when suddenly he was hit with the sudden desire to cry. He should cry, but he’d he’d cried a lot recently and even the idea of it made his eyes ache. 

“Hey Yuuri.” A comforting voice came from behind him.

“Nee-san, hey.” He turned, and smiled at his big sister.

It didn’t take her long to see how stressed he was, and suggested he go take a bath. He nodded, and went to go get undressed. As he soaked, Yuuri thought about the people he’d grown up with. Most of them had Soulmates now, obviously there were his parents, then Minako and Mari had become Soulmates somewhere along the line. Yuuko and Nishigori were married Soulmates and had three kids. Even Phichit had found his Soulmate, and so easily. He almost felt as if he were being left behind. 

Then...there was Viktor Nikiforov. He had been so ready for the burst of colour when they locked eyes after the GPF, and it hadn’t happened. He didn’t know who his Soulmate was, and if he did end up finding them, could he be with them knowing that for his entire life he’d been in love with and probably would still love someone else. The thought crushed him, not just for himself, but for the person out there who could be his Soulmate if they existed. He curled up a little, and imagined a life with Viktor as his Soulmate. Waking up everyday to those beautiful blue eyes in their full colour, having several dogs, lazily making breakfast before they go to the rink for practice. He’d give anything to have a life like that.

When Yuuri got out, he thought about heading to Ice Castle for a few minutes. He didn’t know if Yuuko would be working, or if they’d still be open at this time, but there was no harm in trying. He laced up his shoes and headed out, giving his mother a kiss on the cheek and letting her know where he was going. His mother was very supportive of his need to skate away his anxieties, and he loved her dearly for it.  
The first step he took into the lobby sent him reeling with nostalgia, the hours he spent training, the aching feet, the bruises. He smiled softly to himself, the familiar grey walls and benches. He took a deep breath and pulled the hood of his coat down. 

“Excuse me?” He called, spotting the girl he was looking for.

“Sorry we're closed!” She called without looking.

Yuuri stood for a second, knowing that if he waited she would look round at him. After a few seconds, his prediction was correct, as she turned in his direction, looking confused before her eyes lit up. He'd always thought Yuuko was pretty, and was a little more jealous than he'd have liked to admit when she and Nishigori became Soulmates. She rushed over and almost lept over the counter she was going so fast.

“Yuuri?! Oh my god it's been so long! How are you?!” She was grinning so brightly.

“I'm ok, thanks.” He said, a little bashfully.

“Good! Oh, you're probably here to skate right? I'll make sure you're not interrupted!” She gave him a playful wink.

As Yuuri laced up his skates, he watched Yuuko do some last minute checks behind the counter. When she’d gotten a job working for Ice Castle, along with Nishigori, he felt he was extremely lucky, as they’d persuaded the owners, along with some help from a very assertive Minako, to let him practice whenever the rink wasn’t booked out by a large group. He kind wished he could see the clue light blue colour of the ice (that information given to him by Yuuko during a practice), but as he skated on it, he left his glasses with Yuuko and took a deep breath.

“There’s something I’ve been working on...since the Grand Prix...will you watch?” 

Yuuko nodded, and gently set his glasses on the barrier. Yuuri skated out to the center of the ice and took yet another deep breath. Since the GPF, he’d been working on this with a little help from his friend Phichit, and he finally felt like it was good to at least show his old childhood friend what he’d been working. He heard he gasp quietly, then started to skate.

There was only one move that Yuuri had never learnt from Viktor’s free program, and that was the Quad Flip. The rest he’d gotten down perfect. He heard the music going in his head, and skated to that, he didn’t need it out loud, and from the glimpses of Yuuko he caught she didn’t either. Despite his lower skill level, though that was entirely his opinion, he always felt closest to Viktor when he skated his programs, although he had slept in his bed but that was totally different, he convinced himself. 

He came to a stop, a little shocked by how well that had gone. Despite his constant practicing he’d never actually gone through the whole thing without falling over once. Yuuri heard a small sob from the side of the ice and he looked over, to see her covering her face with her hands. For a second, he was worried that seeing him skate Viktor’s program had upset her, that it hadn’t gone as well as he imagined and she was horrified at what she’d seen...but then she squealed with excitement.

“YOU’RE FREAKING AMAZING! THAT WAS A PERFECT COPY OF VIKTOR!” She grinned at him, hitting the barrier so hard his glasses shook.

He sighed with relief, and skated over to her as she giggled like a teenager. She smiled brightly at him when he stopped, and took a deep breath to calm herself.

“Honestly...I’d thought you’d be depressed.” 

“I was...but then being depressed got a little old...I lost my love of skating...and I wanted it back! Yuuko...I’ve been thinking...” He told her.

She gave him a supportive nod, but before he could continue, Nishigori had lunged on him and caught him in a loose head lock. It was more affectionate than it was when they’d been kids, Nishigori having matured and become Yuuko’s Soulmate, but he could still be a little rough. On top of that, their three daughters reared their heads over the barrier. As much as he liked Yuuko, the rest of the Nishigori family could be a bit...much.

“The girls, Axel Lutz and Loop! They’re a lot bigger than the last time you saw them!” Yuuko seemed very proud. 

“Yeah…” He sighed.

“Wow Yuuri! You really did get fat!”

“Is it true you’re retiring!?”

“Have you found your Soulmate yet!?”

“HEY! Sorry the girl’s are groupies!” Yuuko sighed, trying to get the daughter’s to shut up.

“They’re some of your biggest fans! But they are right, you’re fatter than me now!” Nishigori laughed and poked him.

“Heeey~! Stop~!” He whined.

As much as they teased him, he knew the five of them were there for him through thick and thin, especially Nishigori and Yuuko. He was glad to be their friend. As they waved him off home, he fell into deep thought again. Though the girls came across a bit blunt, they seemed genuinely concerned that Yuuri would be retiring. It kind of made him want to reconsider, but that would involved talking with Celestino again and after announcing his possible retirement, it could cause a lot of unwanted attention. 

When Yuuri got home, he quickly said goodnight to his family before heading off to bed. He felt a little good, doing Viktor’s program so well, especially his free program which had been one of the hardest of the season. He closed his eyes, and let the far off sound of ocean waves carry him off to bed.  
***  
Yuuri woke up that morning to his phone buzzing, with a text from Nishigori. He frowned and put on his glasses, opening the message. It was...a link to a Youtube video and the word sorry. Frowning even more, he followed the link and the noise that came out of his mouth couldn’t even be considered human. The video, uploaded from Yuuko’s channel (though he was certain she hadn’t been the one to actually upload it), was of him skating Viktor’s free program yesterday. The phone now rang, again it was Nishigori, and his friend’s voice was full of regret.

“Yuuri...I’m so sorry...the girls got onto the computer, they must have secretly recorded you.

His breath escaped him, and he could clearly hear Yuuko’s sharp voice scolding her daughters for going on her computer without permission. His head hit the wooden floor gently as Minako flung his door open. He knew she could see colour, she could probably see how pale he’d gone upon hearing the news. He was on the internet...skating Viktor’s program...where anyone could see it...including VIKTOR FUCKING NIKIFOROV. He heard a small gasp escape his lips, and silently planned to spend the rest of his life hiding in his room. That was it. He was going to retire and spend the rest of his life in bed. 

“Yuuri? Are you ok?” Minako asked.

“I’m going back to bed…” He mumbled, sliding back in.  
***  
A few days passed, and fortunately Yuuri’s parents had allowed him to mope around in his room. However, it was wishful thinking that it could stay that way, and he woke up one morning to his mother knocking on his door, asking him to help shovel snow. Wait...Snow!? But it was so early! He peered out his window, and saw the grey Sakura trees covered in a layer of white snow. 

“Whoa…” He whispered.

He would have been content to just sit and stare out of the window, but his mother needed help, so he managed to drag himself out of bed and into some appropriate clothes. Yuuri said good morning to his Mother and Sister as he went by, picking up the shovel and putting on his shoes. He took a deep breath and went to the door, ready to start his chores. Yuuri almost stepped out, when he saw a shockingly familiar dog. 

“Vic...Chan? Whoa!”

He cried out as the dog lunged at him, knocking him to the floor, forcing all of the air out of his lungs. Was it really...no it couldn't be his old puppy, this dog was much bigger and much older. He blinked several times, and realised where else he'd seen this dog.

“No... it couldn't be…?” he whispered.

“Looks just like our Vic-Chan right? He came in with a new guest. Handsome guy with an accent. He's in the hot spring now!” His dad told him.

There was a seconds pause as Yuuri took this information in. Handsome...accent...toy poodle!? He scrambled to his feet, shedding his coat and shoes in an attempt to get to the hot spring. He could be totally wrong, it could be a massive coincidence, but he had to check! He slid through the indoor showers, wiping the condensation off his glasses before throwing the door to the outdoor hotspring open...and there he was. Sitting in his families Onsen...VIKTOR...FUCKING….NIKIFOROV. 

“Vi...Viktor…?! What are you doing here?!” he gasped.

He was pretty sure he would have been ok, he would have been completely fine talking to his idol, despite the embarrassment of after last year’s Banquet...if Viktor hadn't then proceeded to stand up. This simple movement revealed to the already flustered Japanese that he was so very naked. Yuuri tried hard not to stare, but every time he moved his eyes they fell on another part of Viktor’s body...Viktor’s gorgeous, sensual, muscular body. What broke his trance, was Viktor holding his arm out to him.

“Hello Yuuri! Starting today I'm going to be your new coach! You're going to get to the Grand Prix Final, and you're going to win~”

Yuuri’s jaw dropped. Viktor Nikiforov...was standing in front of him...totally naked...and saying he's going to be his coach...was this actually happening?! He tried to stay cool, tried to just keep it to a quiet gasp...but what came out of his mouth was a screech he was pretty sure anyone at Ice Castle could hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the positive response to chapter 1, it made me so happy to see so many people like it! I hope chapter 2 gets the same response!


	3. Seduction in Skating

When the public caught wind of Viktor’s arrival in Hasetsu, Yuuri felt like the entire world was going mad. There were theories going round that he and Viktor had become Soulmates during the Banquet and he'd only just managed to get to move to Japan, and that was further from the truth. People were going mad that Viktor had suddenly decided take a season off to coach a barely average Japanese Skater (again, totally Yuuri’s personal opinion), and none of them could explain why. The number of people came to the Hot Spring that next morning was intense, that he was certain Mari was going to have a fit. All this...because Viktor Nikiforov decided to be his coach...probably on a whim. 

Viktor was currently eating his first ever bowl of Katsudon, and Yuuri was surprised that he wasn't choking with how fast he was eating; he really seemed to enjoy it, saying over and over again how amazing it was. 

“Wow! I've never tasted anything like this!” He gasped, taking a breath finally.

“Yuuri gains weight easily, so he’s only allowed to eat it after competitions.” Minako smirked at the younger man.

“So~ have you eaten one recently?” Viktor almost seemed to purr.

Yuuri knew that between the end of the GPF and now he had probably had a few too many bowls, but as much as he hated to admit it, they were his comfort food. However, Viktor didn’t really need to know that right now, so he nodded.

“Well yeah. They’re my favourite.” He told him.

“Oh? But you haven’t won anything.” Yuuri felt his face go red, but Viktor wasn’t done there. “I can’t work with you unless you lose that gut and those love handles, so no more Katsudon for now. Ok little Pig~” 

Yuuri stepped away, unsure of what exactly he was hearing. Viktor...just called him a pig? What was going on? He’d seemed so kind when they’d met after the banquet, so what had changed. Mari poked her head around the corner asking her to help him move Viktor’s stuff into the banquet room. He looked over and locked eyes with Viktor, wondering what he saw. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes one person could have a Soulmate, but the Soulmate of that is someone else. He didn’t know why this suddenly came into his head, but he shrugged as he went to go help Mari move them to the old Banquet room.

“Sorry, this out of use banquet room is the only place we have available.” 

An odd look passed over Viktor’s face, but Yuuri decided not to try and identify whatever it was. He set the last of the boxes down, and sat beside it. When he looked up, Viktor had crouched down and was suddenly very close to his face. Why was he this close?  
As if it couldn’t get anymore intimate, Viktor gently touched his chin. 

“We can defer your coaching fee until after you win. Now, tell me everything about you Yuuri, as your coach I should get to know you better. Where do you skate, who are your friends, is there a girl you like?” 

He would have been fine...if it wasn’t for that last question. Yuuri had only been interested men since he was about 11, funnily enough the same age he became infatuated with Viktor, however he'd never actually been in a relationship. Sure, he and Phichit had kissed once, but that was when they were drunk in their first year as college students, but they'd agreed they're better as close friends rather than lovers. 

He focused back on the present situation, and realised that Viktor was extremely close to his face, close enough that if someone walked in just then it could be taken badly. He only meant to scooch back a little, but he ended up sliding back into the wall across from Viktor’s room, his face bright red.

“Huh? Why’d you run away?” He asked innocently.

“U-um...no reason...I’m going to get some sleep now! Early start! Sleep well Viktor!” He scrambled to his feet.

As he zoomed off down the corridor, he heard Viktor calling out to him but he didn’t turn around. He needed to go to sleep, and clear his head. 

“Who knows...maybe I’ll wake up this all will have been a dream.” He sighed, leaning against the door.

Before going to sleep that night, Yuuri made the decision to take down all of his posters of Viktor. If the Russian man really was here, he didn’t want him accidentally coming into his room and seeing how deep Yuuri’s love for him really went. Viktor was going to be his coach...for free until he won. He took a deep breath and slid under the covers. This was going to be a long 8 months.  
***  
In the days after Viktor first arrived, Yuuri had been working his hardest to get his weight down to what it had been last year, and he was lucky to have so many amazing people on his side. Viktor (obviously), his family, the Nishigori’s, Minako, all of them helped him work towards his goal. On one such evening he was spending with Minako in her ballet studio; just taking a break after some intense Ballet. 

“I still can’t believe Viktor Nikiforov is here to coach you. Maybe he’s using coaching you as an excuse to take a season off?”

“Hey don’t say that! I mean it’s what I think too, but I don’t wanna hear it!” He whined.

“Well either way, he’s here now and he wants to coach you! So let’s trim off some fat shall we?” She punctuated the sentence with a pirouette.

He remembered, before Minako had moved to Hasetsu, she used to be a professional dancer who’d one loads of awards. She’d settled down at some point, though she never gave Yuuri the reason why, but she’d had even more of a reason when Mari had become her Soulmate. Everyone was rather shocked at that development, but they supported it anyway. A lot of people believed that the Japanese weren’t very supportive of Same Sex Soulmates, but more and more people were becoming Soulmates with someone of the same sex. So it wasn’t too weird.

Minako decided Yuuri’s moment of deep thought was the perfect time to start the music again, and smirked as she watched the man scramble to prepare for it. That was the thing with Minako’s teaching method: she was relaxed, but she’d keep you on your toes. She’d helped him come far with flexibility and balance, and he was truly thankful for her.  
***  
In a few weeks, through hard work and lots of training, he’d managed to make it down to his original weight, and he was extremely proud of himself for getting there. As supportive as his parents were, they could really offer him his favourite meal at the worst opportunities. He was also getting better at waking up on time, as he was awake and ready a full hour before he needed to go to Ice Castle to meet Viktor. He took the opportunity to have breakfast casually, rather than rushing like he used to, even chatting with Mari before he left.

“Have you seen the colours yet?” She asked, not even subtly.

“Nee-san.” 

“Sorry! I’m just worried about you! I thought Viktor might have...You’ve always been…”

“I know. But he’s not. Viktor probably already has a Soulmate and is probably very happy with them.”

“He just up and moved to Japan.”

“So? Look Nee-san I don’t wanna talk about this now. I’ll see you later.”

He turned away and pulled on his jacket, setting off at a jog up to the Ice Rink. He loved his sister, but sometimes he wondered if she could get too worried about him. She’d had to endure countless ramblings on Viktor, so it only made sense she'd think he'd be her little brother’s Soulmate, but still. 

It was common now to find a crowd gathered around the entrance to Ice Castle, especially with Viktor skating inside, but the one today was smaller than usual. They must be getting bored. Yuuri raced up the steps, past the Nishigori triplets who were keeping the crowd under control (somehow), and almost slammed into the door.

“Girls! You'll never believe! I'm back at my weight from last year! Viktor will finally start coaching me now!” He gasped, doubling over.

“Yuuri…” They mumbled nervously.

That was odd? Those girls were the most confident people he knew, they were very rarely nervous. He started to turn around, but before he could even get halfway, something hit him hard in the back, sending him flying through the doors and into the building.

“What the…?!” he gasped and he came to a stop, wincing as a foot was placed on his head.

“This is your fault piggy! Now say you're sorry!” That was a voice he knew.

That answered the question of who kicked him, but the next question was how the hell was Yuri Plisetsky, a 15 year old Russian, was here in Japan!? And why was he standing on his face!? When he eventually backed off, Yuuri got to his feet and looked at the smaller boy in confusion. Why was he here?

“I'm here because Viktor needs to fulfill a promise he made to me. To make my senior debut program...did he promise you too?”

“A-actually...we haven’t...gotten to talking about that yet…” He admitted shyly, sitting up.

“What?! Then what have you been doing this entire time?!”

Yuuri rolled his eyes, stood up, and moved through to the rink. He wished he could have liked Yuri more, but the foul attitude the young boy displayed was more than a little overwhelming. The Russian seemed to want to continue to taunt his Japanese counterpart, and Yuuri was more than happy to continue to ignoring him, until he said something that really pushed his buttons.

“Seriously! What does Viktor see in a pig like you?”

“Look. I don’t know what Viktor’s plan is, only that he came here to be my coach. I didn’t drag him here if that’s what you’re thinking. You should ask him yourself if you’re that interested.” Yuuri sighed, pushing the door open.

Viktor was skating a program Yuuri had never seen before, so he presumed it must have been for the upcoming season if he hadn’t come to Japan, and even without the music he looked truly beautiful. He wondered if he’d looked anything like that when he’d done it, but he doubted it. No one was as beautiful as Viktor Nikiforov. He imagined what it would be like if he still had his long hair, and he wished he could have seen it live even once. Yuri was mumbling something about Viktor, but the older man wasn’t listening, too focused on the skater. What did catch his attention, when when the small boy leaned back...then screamed at the top of his lungs.

“OI VIKTOR! GOT TIME FOR A LITTLE CHAT?!” He was almost shrieking.

“Ah! Yuri! Does Yakov know you’re here? Wait let me guess, I forgot something I promised to do again?” He seemed proud of that.

He skated over and after Yuri had reminded him of his promise to choreograph his senior debut, a loud laugh escaped his heart shaped mouth. Was Viktor really this forgetful?! 

“Yeah I remember now! Sorry, you know how I forget stuff sometimes!” 

“Painfully aware.” The young Russian spat out through gritted teeth. “I’ve had enough messing around! We’re going back to Russia!”

In that moment, Yuuri like his entire body had stopped working. Viktor...going back to Russia? Suddenly every negative outcome of this conversation came into Yuuri’s mind. Viktor changing his mind, Viktor leaving, Viktor saying this was just a joke. He really really didn’t want Viktor to leave but...he knew that he couldn’t physically stop him. 

The Russian legend pressed his index finger to his lips in thought, a habit Yuuri had noticed in his days living with him, until eventually he gasped and clapped.

“I’ve got it! I’ll choreograph you each a program to the same music! Then you’ll show them both to me!”

“TO THE SAME MUSIC?!” Both Yu/uri’s gasped.

“Now now settle down! The music has two contrasting pieces, so I’ll do a program for each, and reveal them in a week!” 

“Hey hey hey!” The Nishigori triplets appeared behind Viktor.

“If you wanna use our rink…” Axel started.

“...Then you’re gonna have to let us in on the excitement!” Loop continued from her sister.

“A standoff between Russia and Japan! Yuuri vs Yuri!” Lutz finished the announcement.

Yuuri was beyond against this idea, and it seemed that Yuri was as well. Viktor however, was more than willing to turn this into a fully promoted competition for his attention. Yuuri started to wonder if Viktor was like this normally, or if he was putting it on to make an impression.  
***  
Yuri had decided that he was going to stay at the Onsen with the rest of them, though he probably had no permission from his coach and he was lucky his parents were more than willing to take him in for the duration of his stay in Japan. The three of them currently stood in Viktor’s room, the older Russian sitting on a sofa he’d brought in; Makkachin resting his head on his owner’s lap.

“Do you really have to stay here?” Yuuri sighed.

“You really think I’m letting you have Viktor all to yourself? I’m staying, got it?”

“If I say no will you actually leave?” 

“Well I’m going to bed! Good night!”

He stormed out the room and slammed the door shut behind him. There was an intense silence, as Viktor and Yuuri shared a confused look. It only lasted as second though, as Yuri immediately threw the door back open.

“Feed me!” He demanded.  
***  
When Yuuri looked back on that evening the next morning, it seemed to have gone by in a blur of confusion and anxiety. Yuri had come in from his bath, tried Katsudon for the first time and absolutely adored it like most people did. Mari had come in at one point, and had gotten confused at having two Yu/uri’s in the same place at once, so she dubbed the younger one Yurio, which he wasn’t entirely happy with, before demanding Yuuri help her clear out a storage room for Yurio to stay in. As he left though...he noticed how comfortable Yurio looked with Viktor, how they easily exchanged banter, and he felt anxiety seize his chest. He let his family know that he was heading down to Ice Castle for a quick session, and jogged all the way there without pausing for breath. Yuuko happily let him go out onto the ice, and as he went through basic drills he started to calm down a little. Sure, maybe Yurio was more comfortable with Viktor...but that didn’t mean he was better at skating.

That next morning at the rink, Viktor stood in front of them talked them through what they’d be doing today. Listening to both pieces of music, discussing them briefly, assigning each to a skater, then watching Viktor go through the moves he’d choreographed. A simple enough session, but he was curious about the music. 

“Alright, the first piece is called Agape. Listen closely and tell me how it makes you feel.”

When he pressed play, an angelic song swept throughout the rink. It sound innocent, and truly beautiful. This was something Yuuri would be more than comfortable skating to.

“On Love: Agape. How do you feel? What does it make you think?” Viktor asked with a smile.

“It feels innocent...like someone who hasn’t found their Soulmate yet.” In that sense, the music was perfect for the Japanese man.

“Very good Yuuri~” The silver haired Russian purred. “And now the second piece.”

If Yuuri hadn’t know that they were the same piece, he wouldn’t have been able to guess! It had a totally different feeling to it. It was way more...seductive. He noticed Yurio give a sly smirk, of course the younger boy would be more confident with this music.

“This...is On Love: Eros. Your thoughts?”

“It’s more seductive. Sexual.” His voice was quieter when he answered this time.

“Correct again.” A small smirk played on his lips, as if he were remembering an amusing memory. “On Love: Eros and Agape. Sexual and unconditional love. Both the same emotion, but wildly different sensations.”

“Enough talking Viktor! I want to do Eros!” Yurio demanded.

Yuuri was fine with this decision. He may have been a 23 year old man, but he wasn’t seductive in the slightest. He’d never shown an ounce of sexuality in his life, and that wasn’t something he was even keen on showing. 

“Alright. So the assignments are…” He paused for dramatic effect. “Yuuri will do Eros, and Yurio will do Agape!”

There was a minute of silence, before they both blew up. Viktor had switched them!? Why had he done that?! There was no way Yuuri could skate to Eros, not now not ever! He wasn’t seductive, he wasn’t sexy! 

“Now that’s out of the way, we can move on to the programs. They’ll be shown in a month’s time in front of the public and will be judged as a formal Short Program. As a prize, I will do whatever the winner asks of me.” He turned his head to Yurio.

“Alright! If I win, you have to come back to Russia and be my coach!” 

“Fair enough. And you Yuuri?” He turned the the Japanese man.

“I want...I want Viktor to stay with me...so we can eat Katsudon together…”

A small smile appeared on Viktor’s lips and he nodded. It may have sounded stupid, but to Yuuri, just being able to eat Pork Cutlet Bowls with Viktor was a dream come true. He just hoped it would come true. 

“Alright! Time for the programs!” 

Yuuri and Yurio got off the ice, giving Viktor the room he needed to perform. The Japanese man was almost nervous, waiting to watch Viktor perform a program no one else had seen before, he was buzzing.

“Alright Yurio, this one’s yours!” He called.

“Da!” 

Yuuri pressed play on the stereo, and Viktor started to skate. Much like the music, even Viktor’s choreography had an element of innocence to it. It was graceful, and...perfect program for Yurio. The kid may have wanted to do Agape, but now that Yuuri saw the program being performed, he couldn’t imagine himself or anyone else doing it. It was difficult though, Viktor made it look easy, but he wondered if Yurio would be ok doing it. The music, and Viktor, came to an end and his eyes drifted to Yurio. He noticed that Yuuko had also snuck in at some point, and was watching carefully. Their shared love of Viktor was something that had never disappeared, and he was glad she was there for moral support.

“Right, got it.” He called. He’d got that down already?!

“Ok, ok! Now Yuuri, this one is yours.” 

He nodded and pressed play on the second track. A program, choreographed by Viktor, just for him. His entire body was buzzing as the music kicked in, and Viktor started to move. 

Yuuri would be the first to admit that Viktor could be labelled sexiest man alive. But...this was something else. The way the Russian moved, the roll of his hips, the expressions...it could be enough to impregnate him! He licked his lips as he watched, and tried to force indecent thoughts out of his mind. Ok, maybe he desired Viktor in more than just having him has a coach, but the sensation in the pit of his stomach caused by just watching him...could only be described as pure arousal. Before he knew it, he was out on the ice facing Viktor. When had that happened?! And why was his underwear feeling annoyingly tight now?!

“Well, what do you think?” Viktor asked.

“I...um...it was very eros!” He replied, standing straight.

“I thought so too! Now, what quads can you land?” 

“Um...the Toe Loop...and the Salchow in practice...I’ve never landed it in competition.” He admitted. “But I can do it! I know I can!” 

“Alright, just stick with basic training for now. I won’t push you to do something that you can’t physically do. Besides, if you have the skill, why can’t you do it?”

“Because...I don’t have much confidence…” He mumbled, looking at his feet.

He heard Viktor chuckle, and looked up just in time to have the pad of his (hopefully) coach’s thumb pressed against his lips. He could feel himself blushing furiously, and it was as if he couldn’t hear anymore. He knew Viktor was saying something about unlocking an Eros, but he was too busy staring at his eyes, for a brief second he could have sworn they were the gorgeous blue he’d heard about. But the more he looked, the more he realised they were the same grey he’d always known.  
***  
When Yuuri got home that night, he quickly locked himself in his room, declining his mother’s offer of food, as well as Viktor’s (20th) request of sleeping together. He needed time to himself, and if that meant forgetting food for the night then so be it. He somehow hadn’t managed to shake off the arousal from watching Viktor perform, and he was certain 90% of his blood now resided in his crotch, which had proved for some uncomfortable working out. He stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower, hoping that he could solve the problem without having to physically relieve himself. It was bad enough jerking off when it was just his family, but now that Viktor and Yurio were both there too, he did not want to imagine what would happen if they walked in on him. He hissed as the water hit his skin, and washed the day’s hard work off of his body, and by the time he stepped out and dried himself off, he felt a lot cleaner. The only issue was…

“I still have a hard on for my coach!” He groaned, pressing his forehead into the bathroom wall. 

He towel dried his hair and sat on the bed, looking at the nuisance between his legs. It was becoming an issue, but he knew that even if he left it, it wasn’t going to just go away. It had been a while since he’d pleasured himself...since the end of last year’s GPF he hadn’t really had the motivation to do anything unless it was something absolutely necessary, so wrapping his hand around his length felt a little odd for a minute. He moved his hand slowly over himself, trying to find the right pace to get himself off as quickly as possible. He bit his lip as the friction sent shocks of arousal up his length and into his core, eliciting quiet shaky moans from the Japanese man. 

“Vi-Viktor…” He whispered, closing his eyes and biting his lip.

In a moment of clarity, Yuuri realised that he jerked off to Viktor quite often. Why was that? He shook his head, deciding that this wasn't the time for that thought, a shiver ran through him as he moved his thumb over his head. His breath shook, and he tried to keep his voice down, but the thought of Viktor skating eros, the idea of him with his hands all over Yuuri’s body, the idea of it being Viktor’s hand touching him and not his own, he knew he would last long. He squeezed gently every time his hand came to the tip of his cock, and it became harder and harder to soften the moans. 

“Viktor...Viktor…!” He gasped, a trail of drool sliding down his chin.

Yuuri fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling with wide eyes as he began to thrust into his hands. Maybe it was odd to get off to his coach and idol but...he was too far gone to really think about anything else. The room filled with quiet gasps and the occasional moan of Viktor’s name as Yuuri brought himself closer and closer to the edge. His back arched, and with one last jerk of his hand, he came, almost screaming Viktor’s name. 

When he came down from the high, Yuuri’s breath was harsh and ragged from the exertion and force of his orgasm. Was that because he hadn't done that in a while, or was it down to Viktor’s erotic performance, Yuuri wasn't sure he'd ever know. What he did know, was that he'd pleasured himself while thinking of Viktor. The thing was...that he thought that having such lewd thoughts about the Russian would be embarrassing...the truth was it wasn't. And he couldn't explain why.


	4. Hot Springs on Ice

He had been expecting Viktor to train them hard, even though this was about as important as an exhibition skate in terms of standings, but what Viktor was doing was akin to torture. Yurio was always being sent off to some temple for one reason or another, seemingly because he didn’t understand the concept of Agape yet. Yuuri thought it was a bit excessive, but Viktor was going nowhere near as hard on him. Yes he was critical, but it was simple things that Yuuri could easily working, and would encourage him to keep trying. He struggled with the Quad Salchow, to the point where it was actually annoying him. He had everything down apart from that one move, there was also something else. While he was skating the program, something didn’t feel right with it. He had the moves down (bar the Salchow), but something was wrong, it didn’t feel right. He saw the story in it, a playboy comes to a town and seduces women left right and center. However, the one woman who he truly desired repeatedly rejected him, until eventually she gave in to him. Then, like every other girl, he discarded her, and moved on. It was fine actually finding the story, however he wasn’t a playboy. He couldn’t seduce anyone, let alone a woman. 

He was taking a break from practice, a week before the Hot Springs On Ice competition, when he heard Yurio shriek something about a waterfall. Waterfall? What was that about? Before he knew it, he and Yurio had been dragged out of Ice Castle on some sort of adventure Viktor had planned. As expected, he and the younger had ended up standing together under a waterfall with their heads bowed. Why he had to be here, Yuuri couldn’t explain. Maybe it was a technique to help Yuuri unlock his Eros, and Yurio his Agape. It didn’t make much sense...but this was Viktor Nikiforov they were talking about. 

The Japanese man took a deep breath and thought hard, the last time he’d thought about what Eros was to him, the first thing that came to his mind was Katsudon, and unfortunately that hadn’t been a thought he’d kept to himself. Viktor had laughed softly and told him they could work with it, but he knew it was truly a ridiculous idea. He’d never felt Eros...unless...would that night count? The only thing that had been on his mind then had been Viktor, and the sensation was definitely...enticing. 

His eyes flew open and he shook the water out of his eyes. He needed to stop thinking that kind of stuff about Viktor, once was enough. Yuuri sighed and looked over at Yurio, who also seemed to be spacing out, and the older man wondered whether he was actually ok. For a second, he looked like he was about to fall over, but he managed to grab him to stop him. 

“Hey! Yurio?”

“Huh?!”

The young Russian suddenly seemed...his age. He seemed young and vulnerable in a way Yuuri had never seen before. It was...surprising. 

“We should head back now.” He pulled him out from under the water.

“Oh...ye-yeah”  
***  
The two Yu/uri’s expected Viktor to be missing the next day, and guess what: he was. Apparently someone had told Yurio that he’d been out drinking all night and was nursing a raging hangover. As the two laced up their skates, not wanting to waste a day, Yuuri became preoccupied with the Salchow. He needed to be able to do it...so why couldn’t he?! Yurio was a full 8 years younger than him and he had no trouble! That’s when it hit him.

“Yurio!”

“What do you want Katsudon? And don’t call me that!”

“Could...Could you show me how to do a Quadruple Salchow?!” He bowed his head.

He expected the Russian to say no, but after a moment of what seemed like deep contemplation...he nodded and pulled him out. That was far from what he expected to happen, but he wasn’t going to complain. He needed his help. 

They went through it over and over again, but every single time Yuuri fell over. He could sense Yurio getting more and more annoyed with him with each failure, and he was surprised the young Russian hadn’t burst into flames. After the most recent fall, he groaned.

“God’s sake Katsudon can’t you do it properly? I’ll show you one more time!”

Before he could make a move however, Viktor strode into the rink as if he hadn’t made himself late by drinking till dawn. His hair was disheveled but he still looked drop dead gorgeous...which was far from hair.

“Sorry I’m late. Hey, what were you two doing just now?” He asked, smiling lazily.

The two Yu/uri’s skated away from each other and started working on their programs. They didn’t want Viktor to see them working together, the older Russian would never let them live it down and they knew that. 

Training for that day was as intense as expected. He was pushing both of them to their very limits, finding their Eros and Agape, using them to advance their progress. Whatever had happened at the waterfall, Yurio’s approach to his Program had totally changed. Before there hadn’t been that understanding of what unconditional love even was, let alone anyone in his life who gave him that love. Now though...something had made him realise...and he was angelic. Yuuri looked over at the older Russian and saw him smirk. What did that mean?! His breath grew short as Yurio got off the ice and nodded to him. Maybe he was wishing him luck with the Salchow? That was nice but...a little unusual. 

He skated out into the ice, and thought deeply. Eros...what was Eros? He could use Katsudon like he’d suggested but...that was laughable at best. What made him lose control in a sexual way. His eyes landed on Viktor and a blush spread across his cheeks he remembered the night after he first saw his coach performing the program, the pure arousal. Maybe that would work? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then started to skate.

He didn’t remember much of going through his program, only that he managed to land the Salchow. This earned him an approving nod from the younger Russian, and left Viktor babbling about how far he’d come with the program in such a short time. Something still felt wrong with it though. It was a bit late now to be changing things, seeing as Hot Springs on Ice was tomorrow...but something still needed to change with it. As good as Viktor says it was, he still didn’t feel like he was performing to his full potential. He still didn’t feel like a playboy...because he wasn’t one. There had to be something he could do to fix that. What felt more appropriate? He thought deeply about it, thinking about what situations best fit the program. He wasn’t normally the one doing the seducing so...was he the girl being seduced? It sounded more accurate, but the only problem was the Yuuri wasn’t a woman. But if that was what it took to get the performance perfect then that was what it took. But how the hell was he supposed to move in feminine ways?!  
***  
That night over dinner, he still hadn’t decided how he was going to move like a woman. He’d never tried that before in his programs, so the concept was entirely new to him. Minako had joined them for the evening, as usual, and was slowly drinking more and more alcohol until she was swaying in her seat. Viktor and Yurio looked a little concerned for her well being, but Yuuri was used to her being like this. It was a given for Minako to get drunk at any point. 

“So…” She suddenly drew their attention. “Have you thought about what costumes you boys are wearing tomorrow?”

“I have no idea?” Yuuri looked up from his food.

“I didn’t bring anything with me.” Yurio muttered with his mouth full.

“No worries~ I brought all mine over from Russia so you can choose any of them~”

After they finished eating the three of them went to Viktor’s room where there were now a lot of suitcases. Yuuri had thought he’d had loads before but this was ridiculous. The Russian man had an excessive amount of suitcases, and even more clothes to go in these cases. They started pulling them out and the Japanese man felt like he was living a dream! He, Yuuri Katsuki, was looking at...was holding the costumes worn by his idol...his crush, Viktor Nikiforov throughout his entire career! There were so many that he recognised, from his junior days, more recent ones from his senior debut! So many~! He could have sworn Yurio said something to him, but his eyes and mind had been drawn to something else. Something more important. He picked up and black, sparkly costume and stared at it in awe. Parts of it were see through and he remembered watching the program he wore this for over and over again with Yuuko.

“Hey! You wore this when you won the Junior Championship!” He turned to the older man.

“Da~ I had long hair at the time so the costume was designed with both genders in mind!” He explained.

“Can I use this one?” He looked up at him.

“Of course you can Yuuri” He smiled.

That night Yuuri sat in his room watching the program Viktor used the costume for. Male and female genders…? It was appropriate for the approach he was going, but he still had no idea on how to skate in a more feminine way. Who could help him with this? Yuuko was a no...she had the triplets to think of and she didn’t actually skate like that anymore. Mari was the least feminine woman he knew. He couldn’t ask his mother, that’d be weird. So that left….!

He dropped the costume and quickly pulled on his shoes and jacket. Of course! Minako! Why he hadn’t thought of her Yuuri didn’t know, but he just needed to focus on getting there. He was lucky Minako lived so close, so that he was there within five minutes. Yuuri pressed the doorbell repeatedly, he knew Minako was probably sleeping but this was extremely important. After what felt like five minutes of ringing, the lights turned on and Minako appeared in the door. Yep...she had been sleeping.

“Yuuri…? Do you know what time it is? What is it?”

“Minako! I need to use your ballet studio!” 

“My studio…? Why?”

“I...um...I need you to teach me to move like a woman!” 

“Huh…?” She narrowed her eyes and let him in.

They went into the studio and Yuuri dropped is things against the wall. There wasn’t much time if he was going to do this and get enough sleep so that he didn’t mess anything up half way through. Minako had always been a good teacher, but right now...she was a great teacher. The minute he explained his plan, she set about showing him how to move his hips and the rest of his body to suggest femininity, and it was easier than he anticipated. After practicing at the studio, he went to Ice Castle to try it on the ice, and when he saw Minako nod at the end, he felt confident he could do this.  
***  
By the time they were in costume the next day, and getting ready to give pre-show interviews...that confidence had gone down the toilet...and his breakfast almost followed. He got nervous before competitions, but he’d never felt like this. Maybe it was because he was performing with VIKTOR NIKIFOROV watching him, but good god it was a lot of pressure. He wasn’t really sure what he was saying during the interview, but he was 99% sure it was the wrong thing. Something about the Hotspring? Yuuri could just hear Yurio huffing in annoyance, so he decided to shut up for a while, until Viktor ushered them into the locker room for last minute warm ups. 

He wondered if he should use them same Eros as he had last time. New feminine moves in combination with thinking of the man he wished was his Soulmate? He felt like he stood a good chance of winning. That being said...if he was completely wrong and he lost, Viktor would go back to Russia and he’d probably quit skating competitively.

‘Maybe I’m over reacting?’ He thought to himself, as he stretched his muscles.

He watched Yuuko poke her head and tell Yurio he had five minutes before he needed to go onto the ice. When the young Russian pulled off his hoodie, Yuuri couldn’t help but stare. Viktor’s Transparent costume from his junior days suited him perfectly and the image he was trying to give off, it even sent his friend into fits of giggles. As the young Russian left, Yuuri locked eyes with Viktor. Once again, he could have sworn he saw a flash of turquoise as he made eye contact with his idol. What the hell was that anyway…?

“Yuuri! We should go and watch Yurio, da?” He smiled.

“Oh um...yeah we should.” He went through the door, finding it oddly hard to tear his eyes away.  
***  
Watching Yurio skate...was the second most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, next to Viktor. He was graceful, and moved like he was made out of water. Yuuri could barely take his eyes off him, as much as he wanted to. He started to feel sick. Yurio was so beautiful and graceful out on the ice like that, he didn’t stumble even once! How was Yuuri ever going to compete?! Despite his hard work on the Salchow it was still way to inconsistent. He could feel anxiety rising from his chest and into his throat. If he lost this...oh god if he lost...Viktor would go back to Russia and...that wasn’t something he wanted to think about. The younger skater went into his final spin, and Yuuri felt like it was going on forever and ever, the blonde head spinning like a top. 

When he did eventually come to a standstill, Viktor looked extremely proud. Well that made sense, Viktor and Yurio had been rink mates for a long time...Until Yuuri pulled him away. No wonder he’d been so angry with him. The anxiety in his chest continued to build until he had to cover his eyes to try and calm himself, he could do this...he could do this...he could do this...he could-

“Yuuri? It’s your turn.” Viktor had his hands on his shoulders.

Before he could stop himself, Yuuri let out a harsh gasp and covered his mouth with his hands, the ill feeling he had in his stomach only worsening. He had to do something to stop this feeling going any further.

“Viktor…” He mumbled.

Before the Russian could say anything, Yuuri wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug. This was the first time he’d touched Viktor outside of skating, and he expected the action to make his anxiety worse but...it actually calmed him. After a second, Viktor returned the hug with a gentle squeeze.

“Um...I’m going to skate with everything I’ve got today…” He paused, deciding to roll with the Katsudon Eros for now. “I’m going to be the tastiest Katsudon you’ve ever seen...So please...watch me…”

There was a pause, and Yuuri felt as if his heart was going to explode. It was so thick, and it felt like it was choking him. That was until Viktor spoke.

“Of course. I love Katsudon.” He muttered.

That calmed him more than anticipated and he shrugged off his jacket. He didn’t fail to noticed Viktor’s eyebrows rise, and wondered what they were rising at. He wasn’t even on the ice yet, but Viktor already had a faint blush on his face. He wondered what that would look like if he could see in colour? Yuuko told him that when people blushed their cheeks would go from normal, to pink, to red. He wished he could see it. 

He went out onto the ice and did the usual lap to greet the audience, and he felt...oddly calm? Maybe that hug from Viktor had done more than anticipated. Yuuri stopped in the center of the ice and got into his starting position, closing his eyes. Yes he’d told Viktor and everyone else that he was envisioning a Katsudon...in his mind he saw himself seducing Viktor. Then the music began and he started to skate. He saw himself seducing Viktor, dancing for him, and he felt like all the work he’d done with Minako last night was worth it. He could hear the crowd cheering for him, and he was pretty sure at one point he heard someone whistle at him. That was good. All his jumps he nailed, and he was coming up to the Salchow. He can do this! He held his breath as he went into the jump and...his landing wasn’t perfect, but he didn’t fall badly, putting one hand on the ice to stop him from going over entirely. It wasn’t too bad, people were known to put their hands on the ice before, he wouldn’t lose his charm because of it. As he came to the end of the program, he envisioned Viktor falling into his arms, only for the Japanese man to gently move him aside, the absolute look of shock on his face when they shy man from the Grand Prix straight up rejecting him. 

Before he knew it, it was over. He had his arms wrapped around his chest and the audience was screaming for him, the sound almost hurting his ears. He looked around briefly, and saw Viktor holding his arms out to him with a massive heart shaped smile on his face. He felt his cheeks go warm as he skated over, coming to a gentle stop. As Viktor looked at him, he suddenly felt like his costume was way too revealing. 

“Yuuri~! That was incredible! Your best performance yet!” He grinned.

Yuuri felt his cheeks get hotter, liking the way Viktor was praising him. It made him feel like all of the work he’d put in was worth it, just to earn Viktor’s approval. Suddenly, Viktor’s gaze turned hard. 

“Now...I have to ask you something…” He muttered.

“Su-sure!”

Then, even more sudden, Viktor went into a long rabble of words he couldn’t quite understand through his accent. He was talking fast, but he managed to pick up something about how he knew Yuuri and Yurio had been working on his Salchow. Was Viktor...angry with him…? He started feeling faint and he felt himself starting to fall, but Viktor managed to catch him before he hit the ice.  
***  
By the time he had to go out onto the ice to accept the weird trophy Viktor had paid for, he found out from Yuuko that Yurio had already gone back to Russia, or had at least started to. He was a little disappointed, he’d have like to have spent more time getting to know the feisty blonde. Taking the trophy felt like a massive weight, and in his head he knew it was just going to collect dust but...he’d won this, and he’d won Viktor. So it also felt like he was holding Viktor’s pride in him, which was a nice feeling. Suddenly, Moruka was putting a microphone in his face and asking him to say something. What was he meant to say?

“Oh...um…” He stammered.

He felt Viktor snake an arm around his waist and squeezed gently. His heartbeat slowed to a normal pace, feeling shockingly secure. He took a deep breath and smiled softly.

“I’m going to try and win the next Grand Prix...with Viktor! Thank you for your support!” 

The crowd around him cheered, and he waved with an ecstatic grin on his face. He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt, but his entire body felt like it was buzzing. Viktor had his arm around him, he’d won the Hot Springs on Ice, he had every reason to be buzzing like this right now.


	5. Creating the Free Program

Seeing as the assignments hadn’t been released, Yuuri would have no idea what competitions he’d be skating in and who he’d be skating again quite yet. The one thing he was sure of though was that he’d be competing in a block competition, probably the Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu Championship. What he needed to do, even before all of that, was actually choreograph his Free Skate. He figured with Viktor’s help it shouldn’t go too badly, but he also needed to up his Short Program. It may have been against a few kids, but they were still skaters, and it was still an official competition. He wasn’t sure if Viktor knew about that, seeing as he was good enough to never need to go into qualifying competitions.  
His Salchow was improving steadily, to the point where he was more confident with it than he had been before. That wasn’t to say, however, that if his mind was elsewhere when he went into it he wouldn’t hit the ice with a thud. As supportive as Viktor could be sometimes, he would try to make him share whatever he was thinking about when he fell. And that wasn’t always great. Sometimes it was purely innocent things, what his next steps were, if his mother needed help at the Onsen. But sometimes they weren’t so innocent, like whether he and Viktor could ever be Soulmates (he thought unlikely), or having him on top of him in intimate ways. Viktor was wonderful, but he seemed to have little shame.

After a day of practising and finally getting the moves for the Free Skate written down on paper, Viktor had suggested that they take a bath together, which wasn’t unusual. Although, normally Yuuri would just have a shower, he didn’t see any reason to deny the Russian man just this once. He quickly slipped into the warm water, not particularly fond of the idea of his coach seeing him without clothes. Once again, Viktor held no such insecurities, and stepped out into the outdoor bathing area without a towel and his hair slicked back, matching Yuuri’s own hair. 

“Yuuri, I think we should cut down on the number of quads in your Free Skate.”

“Eh?! Wh-why?!” 

Yuuri’s head whipped round, but he almost gave himself whiplash turning back. He’d anticipated him to be naked, but what he hadn’t been ready for was him to be doing the splits naked. He put his hands on his cheeks and tried to calm down. He didn’t need to be getting aroused in a public bath. It had happened before when Soulmates bathed together, then it just got awkward for everyone.

“Viktor I need those jumps if I’m going to win the Grand Prix Final.” He kept his face hidden.

“Not really. You can get by with one quad as long as you’re perfect on the presentation components.” He sighed, his smile forming a heart again.

Yuuri rolled his eyes and rested his head on the bath side. He heard Viktor stand up, but he was too busy wallowing to pay any real attention.

“If I don’t do more...then I won’t win...I have to change...somehow…”

“Yuuri...there’s a specific reason that I dropped everything to come here and be your coach.” The Russian’s serious tone drew his attention.

As soon as he looked up, Viktor had taken his hands in his, and he became hyper aware of how soft they were despite his years of skating. He looked at his coach and tried to focus on his words.

“The way you moved to the music when you did my Free Program...I was drawn to you. It wasn’t playing on the video, but I could hear it in my head, coming from you. You have so much potential, and you need a high difficulty program to show it. I know I can help you unlock it to its highest point.” 

There was a few seconds of silence as the two stared at each other. Once again, Yuuri found himself wondering what Viktor saw when he looked at him, what he saw in him. After the silence became too much for even Viktor, he grinned, and yanked Yuuri out of the water by his wrists.

“Viktor!” The Japanese man gasped.

“Aaaaand judging by your Short Program~ I was totally right~!”

His hands moved from Yuuri’s wrists, so one was lifting his leg up into a position that wouldn’t be uncomfortable if he wasn’t a skater, while the other came to rest intimately on his cheek. His could feel the heat rising beneath his skin and prayed Viktor didn’t notice.

“You know what I think~?” He purred. “I think you should produce your own Free Program~” 

“What?! Bu-but my coach always chose my music...so I wouldn’t...Ah!”

In response, Viktor decided to lift his leg higher. It wasn’t too much of a stretch, but a combination of embarrassment of doing this in the public bath while Viktor’s had were becoming dangerously close to certain areas sent Yuuri’s mind into overdrive.

“It’s fun doing it yourself trust me~ You’ll be fine~”

“Bu-but I-I’m u-used to my co-coach doing it!” He cried out a little, the stretch finally starting to become painful.

“Who was your last coach again?” He put his face as close to Yuuri’s as possible.

He was about to answer when he noticed people watching them, Yuuri quickly pulled out of Viktor’s grasp and wrapped his towel around his waist. He couldn’t see Viktor’s expression, but he could hear him following. 

As he sat down to dry his hair, Viktor draped himself over his shoulders, once again getting intimately close until Yuuri could feel his cheeks getting warmer. When he looked round, Viktor was handing him his phone.

“Why…?”

“You should call your old coach. It’d be good for you to talk to him.”  
He examined Viktor’s face, and found that despite his firm tone his expression was incredibly soft. That was the thing about Viktor, even when his voice was firm his voice was calm, it was something that made him increasingly comfortable around the older man. He smiled nervously and took the phone to dial Celestino.

“Yuuri~ Ciao! Been awhile since I heard from you kid! Nikiforov’s your coach now right?” He was kind of glad to hear his old coach’s accent again.

“Ah...sorry about that…” He muttered.

“Why are you apologising?” Celestino asked, a little concerned.

Yuuri opened his mouth to respond, but Viktor grabbed his wrist and pulled the phone towards him.

“Ciao! Celestino, it’s Viktor!”

“Why are you playing coach Viktor? Cut it out…” Even from his distance he could hear the Italian’s exasperation.

“Hey, can I ask you something? Why did you never let Yuuri choose his own music?” 

“Eh? Well I normally choose the music for my skaters. But they’re free to suggest music if they really want to skate to it. Yuuri only brought me one piece, I think a friend of one of his rink mates made it. It was ok but nothing too special. Yuuri didn’t have much confidence in himself so we didn’t end up using it. I told him to trust himself but...” Celestino explained.

“Ah ok. Thank you.” That must have answered Viktor’s question...in some way.

“Um! Celestino, one more thing! I’m going to win the Grand Prix Final this year!” Yuuri managed to get in.

“Heh, that’s what I wanted to hear last time. Good luck kid.” He chuckled, before hanging up.

Yuuri sighed with relief and leant back a little. He’d been meaning to call Celestino for ages, but he could never bring himself to actually do it. He opened his eyes, and once again found Viktor ridiculously close to his face. Did the man have no sense of personal space!?

“Yuuri...Can I hear the music you showed Celestino? Why didn’t you tell me? I’m your coach aren’t I?” He almost sounded like a whiny child.

“A-ah...sorry Viktor…” Yuuri mumbled, looking at his knees.  
***  
The next day, Yuuri sat with Yuuko in Ice Castle, the two just chatting as the younger did some maintenance on his skates. Apparently his friend had kept in contact with Yurio had gone back to Russia, and he told her that his coaches weird Ex-wife had been brought in, to help train him. Yuuri thought that was an odd decision, but obviously that was just his decision.

“Hey, Yuuri?” Yuuko suddenly piped up after a minute of comfortable silence.

“Eh?” 

“Have you found your Soulmate yet?” 

The black haired man sighed and shook his head. He’d been anticipating this conversation with her at some point, but it had come later than he’d thought. Naturally, Mari had gotten in there first, and despite the frequent flash of blue when he looked at Viktor every now and then...he was still totally surrounded by grey scale. There had been a period of about two months where Yuuko had made it her mission to find Yuuri’s Soulmate after she and Takeshi. Unfortunately her attempts had been unsuccessful, but that hadn’t deterred her. Instead she’d gone to believe that Viktor Nikiforov would be his Soulmate. 

“That’s a shame...I kinda thought…” She looked a little sad.

“What? That it would have been Viktor?”

“Well yeah! You have a massive thing for him!” 

“He probably already has a Soulmate. Can we not talk about it anymore?” He asked, looking up at her.

She caught the distressed look in his eyes and nodded, instead turning the conversation to Yuuri’s Free Skate and it’s music. Truth be told, he had shown Viktor the old track that had been made, but he didn’t seem very impressed with it, saying something about keeping options open. In all honesty, he’d asked the piece to be made in a way that represented his skating career, and it had done just that. A disappointing track for a disappointing skater, he told himself repeatedly. In some kind of twisted way, that could also describe his love life. 23 and no Soulmate? He’d call it pathetic. 

He didn’t really know why he was finding it so hard to produce his own program. Viktor had been doing it since he was 17, but Yuuri had always left it to his coach. Maybe that was why he’d never made the podium.  
***  
After dinner that night, he decided to go over his list of possible songs again. The one Phichit’s friend had composed was still on there, along with a couple of others, but not a single one of them felt like they went with the moves he’d choreographed with Viktor. He sighed and fidgeted around on his chair, toying with his phone, until he saw that Phichit was actually online! He hummed quietly, before hitting the facetime button. 

“Phichit! Sawadee krab!”

“Yuuri~! It’s been aaaaaages! How have you been?!” The Thai boy sang.

“Ok. You’re back in Thailand now right?” 

“Yeah, yeah. Detroit got boring when you left so I came back here. You should totally come to Bangkok at some point.” He grinned.

“Maybe during the off season yeah?” He chuckled. “Hey...Phichit, do you remember how I had that music made for one of my old programs?” 

“Yeah! By one of my student friends right? Did you use it?”

“Aah...no. Not in the end.” He thought back to the awkward conversation of having to tell her they didn’t use it and shuddered. “We kinda stopped talking after that as well.”

“Ah yeah yeah. I mean...I could try and track her down for you? Kinda thought you two would become Soulmates you know. Too bad.” Yuuri sighed at the mention of Soulmates. “Speaking of Soulmates, I hear from Ciao Ciao that Viktor Nikiforov is coaching you now!”

“Yeah, it’s been alright so far. Different to Celestino, but I guess different is what I need right now. But how does that have anything to do with Soulmates?”

“Well you and Viktor are Soulmates aren’t you? That’s why he came to Japan?”

Yuuri shook his head. “No. He came to Japan cause he saw me skate. Why would he be my Soulmate?”

“Cause you had sex right?” 

Yuuri choked on his breath and almost fell off his chair. Where the hell had he gotten that idea from!?

“What do you mean?!”

“Well you two disappeared at last year’s banquet apparently. What else would you be doing?” 

“I just slept. He looked after me when I’d had a little too much to drink.” He sighed, holding his head.  
“Oooh Yuuri! You’re so bad~!”

“Yeah yeah. I’ll talk to you later Phichit, I need to go.”

“Ok~ See ya!”

After he hung up, Yuuri decided to go on a long jog. Yeah it was raining, but he had bigger priorities, like clearing his head after that mind numbing conversation. He loved Phichit to bits...but he could be a little too blunt sometimes. This piece was really starting to bug him. Yes, she had done exactly as he’d asked, but he had to pick something.  
***  
“Yuuri, have you really not chosen your music yet?”

They were taking a break from practice, when Viktor decided this was the appropriate moment to start grilling Yuuri about his not choosing the music yet. He was struggling, he wouldn’t deny that, butt it was so damn difficult when the one piece of music he thought was appropriate wasn’t actually good enough.

“I’d have thought you’d be able to make the decision on your own!” He continued. “Just try to think of something! Like when you met your Soulmate!” 

“WHAT?!”

He looked up at Viktor, and realised that he’d totally just snapped at him. Just snapped at his coach and idol. Had he really just done that!? Viktor was watching him curiously, and he felt his cheeks get warm.

“I’m...I’m so sorry...I didn’t mean to snap...I’m just...stressed...and…”

“Ah no. This is my fault. I forgot you haven’t found your Soulmate yet…” He seemed...disappointed.

After that, they continued as normal...but Yuuri couldn’t shake the awful feeling that hung over him for the rest of the day. The only way he could describe it, was guilt. He really hadn’t meant to snap at him, but with both Yuuko and Phichit asking him about it yesterday it had become a touchy subject for him. On their way out, Viktor suggested going somewhere, but Yuuri came up with the excuse of being tired. A little later he tried again, this time trying to bathe together, but again Yuuri politely declined. His final attempt was suggesting for the millionth time that they sleep together, which Yuuri could list a billion reasons why he’d decline that. He ended up going to sleep, alone, with guilt clawing at his chest.  
***  
Yuri woke up that morning, having not slept very well, and ready to launch himself out of the nearest window. He couldn’t deal with the guilt of avoiding Viktor for whatever reason! He felt too awful about it, and decided he needed to do something about it. He was about to get out of bed and plan on the way, when the door to his room swung open. He turned slowly and saw Viktor staring at him. At first he was worried that the silver haired man was angry at him, but then that heart shaped smile appeared.

“Yuuri~! Let’s go to the ocean~!” 

And somehow, Yuuri couldn’t find it in himself to turn his Coach down. The journey wasn’t too bad, five minutes on foot, and when they got there Viktor let Makkachin off his lead to run round for a bit. They sat on the wall in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable like Yuuri had anticipated. In fact it was rather relaxing.

“You know,” He spoke up eventually. “Since I came here, I realised how much the seagulls in the morning remind me of St Petersburg. You see, I never thought I’d leave, so I never really appreciated their calls all that much. Do you get what I mean?” 

Yuuri did, and it wasn’t just about the birds. Viktor was opening up to him here, he was telling him something personal, that he’d never shared with the media. This was something that very few people knew, and now Yuuri was part of that select group. He knew Viktor wasn’t guilt tripping him into returning that sentiment, but at the same time he felt compelled to. After a shaky breath, he began to talk. 

“When I was training in Detroit, there was a girl there who always used to hang around me. She was kinda pushy, but it didn’t really bother me at first. Then a rink mate got into an accident...and I was kinda torn up by it. I was sat in the hospital waiting room, and for some reason she came with me. She started trying to hug me...telling me that as my Soulmate she would always be there for me but...I knew she wasn’t my Soulmate.” He sighed.

“How did you know?” 

“I ended up asking her what colour the laces on my skates were. If she were my Soulmate she would have known they were blue, but she didn’t. We weren’t Soulmates. She tried to hug me again after that but I...shrugged her off.” 

“Wow...that’s a little harsh isn’t it?”

“I didn’t want her to think I was weak. I wasn’t trying to impress her or anything, I’m...not really into girls...but I didn’t want anyone treating me like I was weak. Even in that situation. She was assuming how I felt...acting as if she were my Soulmate, which is a massive deal in Japan. I hated it. But at the same time, my friends and family have never treated me that way. Never thought I was weak.They had faith that I’d keep growing in all senses, and they never pushed me.”

Yuuri expected a long pause there, expected Viktor to take a while to figure out what to say to that. But he responded almost immediately. 

“Yuuri...you’re not weak. Far from it. And no one...not even other skaters, thinks that of you.”

Then came the silence, but once again, it was comfortable. Yuuri rested his chin on his knees and breathed in the sea air, finding it surprisingly calming. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Viktor smiling softly.

“Hey...what do you want me to be to you?” 

“Eh?” 

“A father figure?” 

After a pause, Yuuri shook his head. It’d be more than a little creepy if Viktor started acting like his dad. He knew some people enjoyed that kind of thing, but he was not one of them.

“A brother? Or a friend?” 

Yuuri shook his head again, neither of those things were right either. 

“Then I guess I can be your lover.”

Yuuri was certain that if Viktor could in fact see colour, he could see his cheeks go bright red. Of course he’d imagined Viktor as his lover for years, but he hadn’t actually ever thought he’d hear him say it. He jumped to his feet.

“No! No no no!” When Viktor looked up, he continued. “I want you to stay just as you are! I’ve...I’ve always looked up to you...since I was little. I started avoiding you cause I didn’t want you to think I was weak...But I swear! I’ll make up for it when I skate!” 

Viktor smiled, then stood up himself, then held out his hand.

“I can’t wait to see that.” 

Yuuri paused, before taking the hand extended to him. That was another thing about Viktor, he seemed to be constantly learning about the relationship the two of them had, when to push and not push him to talk, when to talk and not talk. Maybe he was still a little too blunt occasionally, but he was learning. Yuuri could tell.  
***  
That night, during Yuuri’s relaxation period, his email account rang a notification which drew his attention. He went over and sat on his desk chair, before his eyes lit up upon reading the email.

‘Yuuri,  
It’s good to hear from you after so long!  
Sorry our last meeting was awkward.  
Phichit told me you wanted to use the music I made for you again.  
But after watching some of your recent skating, I agree that it doesn’t quite fit you anymore.  
It won’t be an issue to remake the music to something more appropriate!  
I’ll get on it right away!’

He grinned, and it stayed on his face long into the night. He decided to tell Viktor about it tomorrow. Now that Viktor was on his mind, he wondered if he could persuade Viktor to teach him all of his jumps, especially the Quad Flip. His dreams that night were full of him doing Viktor’s jumps, watching the Russian’s jaw drop in shock, coming off the ice into his arms, feeling his hands all over his body and...and…  
***  
When he woke up the next morning, feeling like he definitely had an indecent dream that was probably about Viktor. As Yuuri got dressed, he made mental notes to discuss the music with his coach, as well as the situation of him being taught all of his jumps. He knew a lot of Viktor’s jumps were difficult, but they would be worth it to get a higher technical score. 

Before the two of them went into Ice Castle that day, Yuuri stopped him by grabbing his wrist. The older man turned, and looked a little concerned before seeing the determined look on his student’s face. 

“Yuuri? What is it?”

“The girl who did my music before, she said that she can redo the music for me.”

“That’s great Yuuri! Now, let’s go.” He smiled, starting to lead him inside.

“Um also…” Yuuri paused by the door. “I...I want you to teach me all of your jumps! Every single one of them!” He demanded.

A heart shaped smile appeared on the Russians face, one that said he’d be more than happy to pass on his skills to Yuuri. After a second of watching each other, they went inside to get ready for today’s practice. 

The Japanese man quickly picked up most of Viktor’s jumps, even though his success rate was a little low, he fully intended to get them to their full potential. Both Eros and the Free Skate were going well, even though he still wasn’t confident on the Quad Salchow. They came to the end of the Free Program and the two leaned against the barrier breathing heavily. Yuuri had never seen his idol so out of breath, and he felt internally smug when he realised that Yuuri himself had barely broken a sweat compared to him. He wiped that tiny bit of moisture away with his gloved hand and sighed.

“Viktor...is it ok if we go again?”

“Again? But we’ve done it tens of thousands of times already!” The Russian laughed.

“Well...just 13 actually…”

Viktor started to respond, but Yuuri wasn’t really paying attention, too fixated on Viktor’s hair. He caught something about his stamina, which yes was great, but as Viktor bent down to clear the ice off his skates, Yuuri wondered what it would be like to touch his hair. Before he realised what he was doing, he pressed a single finger to the older man’s parting. The two of them froze, and Yuuri pulled his arm back like a bullet when he realised what he’d done.

“I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to...I mean I…”

“Getting thin already huh…?” The Russian sighed, voice devoid of emotion.

“No no no it’s fine! Everything’s fine!”

“I don’t think I can recover from this…” Yuuri watched as Viktor sunk down onto the ice and curled up.

“No no it’s fine it’s fine! Viktor please get up!” He begged.

Yuuri knew Viktor was famous for his dramatics, but he never expected him to be so...extra.  
***  
That night, as Yuuri messed around on his computer, his email notification rang, pulling him out of his trance. He clicked on it, and found it was from Phichit’s friend.

‘Yuuri,  
Here’s the track you wanted.  
I hope it’s what you’re looking for and I’m sure it’ll suit you better.  
Good luck with this years Grand Prix.  
I’ll be sure to watch you.”

Yuuri’s eyes lit up as he clicked the attachment and listened to it. It was beautiful, and it felt way more accurate to him as a person now. He picked up his laptop and grabbed some earphones. He knew it was late but he needed Viktor to listen to this immediately. He crept through the corridor of his home, being careful not to disturb his family, and quietly opened the door to his coach’s room.  
“Viktor! Listen!” He gasped,climbing onto the older man’s bed, trying to avoid the still sleeping dog.

Viktor, who was still half asleep, flicked on one of his many bedside lamps and put the earphones Yuuri handed him into his ears. The younger man pressed play again, and watched in anticipation as Viktor closed his eyes and listened to the music. He was probably imagining Yuuri doing the program to it, which probably explained his lack of immediate response. Eventually his eyes flew open and he nodded, a great big smile on his face, that made Yuuri smile himself.  
***  
Back at the rink the next day, Viktor was going over the composition of the Free skate with Yuuri talking about where certain jumps and spins should go in the program. With a deep sigh, Viktor jabbed the last jump with his pen.

“We could make that last jump a Quad Toe Loop...if you want more impact…?” He sounded as if he were talking to himself rather than Yuuri.

“That one? So late in the program?”

“I think you could pull it off with your stamina. Do you not think so?”

“I do!” Yuuri said, without hesitation.

“I thought so~! By the way...did you change the musical theme?” Viktor shrugged off his jacket.

“Yeah um...The theme is ‘On My Love’.” 

There was silence for a few seconds, as Viktor thought about this. Then he smiled, and Yuuri felt his heart swell that such a smile was directed at him.

“That’s the best theme. Ok! Let’s get this finished!” He chuckled.

Yuuri went through the program without the music, letting his body make it. This program meant a lot to him. On his love...his love of Viktor, his love of skating. This program represented so much from him now; he used it to get across how far his skating has come, how much he’s developed as a person. Now, with Viktor by he side, he felt like he really could win this.  
***  
As they returned to the Onsen, they were immediately greeted by Minako rambling something about assignments. Wait...assignments…? He looked up at Viktor, who grinned down at him. This was going to be exciting. The three of them went into the front room, where it seemed like all of Yuuri’s friends and family was there. A bunch of party poppers went off as they sat down, and people started clapping. His parents had put up some banners, and as sweet as it was, he felt a little unnerved by it all.  
“So~ Yuuri will be competing in the Cup of China and the Rostelecom Cup huuuh~? That means we’ll be heading off to Russia~” Viktor seemed excited about the idea of going home.

“Before you continue, someone should explain how assignments work to Yuuri’s parents!” Axel interrupted.

“It’s still a little bit of a mystery to us, so we appreciate it!” His mother smiled brightly.

“Well basically, there are six preliminary competitions, and each skater competes in two. Whoever has the most points by the end go into the final six, who compete at the GPF in Barcelona! Yuuri will compete in the third event, Cup of China in Beijing, and the Sixth event, Rostelecom Cup in Moscow.” Viktor explained as his parents and sister nodded in understanding.

“Wait...Yuuri can’t immediately go to China…” Lutz sighed.

“Ah yeah, he has to compete in block competitions.” Nishigori sighed.

Yuuri sank lower towards the lover as Yuuko explained to Viktor what domestic competitions were. Of course, Viktor probably hadn’t gone through them since he was much much younger. It was scary, this was the first time he’d be competing with Viktor as a coach. He figured people would probably hate him for it, would probably come up with theory upon theory about why Viktor did what he did. But if Yuuri was honest, he didn’t care all that much. He didn’t care that people would hate him. Viktor had completely changed his perspective on his skating, on his life. He’d always felt like he was fighting alone, but he didn’t anymore. Not with Viktor. Maybe he couldn’t recover from his losses in previous competitions...but what he knew he need to do now...was focus on the future. 

Considering his age, he wasn’t sure if he’d skate competitively for much longer, but that only meant he needed to cherish the time he spent with Viktor even more, or even how long his body would last under all the strain he was putting on it. But he knew, whether Viktor became his Soulmate or not, he would never forget their time together. And he prayed to whatever god existed, that he could have Viktor’s time for as long as possible. 

A few days after the assignments were announced, the two of them were finally 100% happy with the Free Program and how it looked, and went with the music. When Viktor had said he was impressed with it, he wasn’t kidding. The Russian made him go through it time and time again, to the point that Yuuri started to think he just wanted to watch it. When he finally relented and took the disc out the the player, Yuuri was drenched in sweat.

“Hey Yuuri, you haven’t name the music piece yet. Got any ideas?” He asked over his shoulder.

Yuuri skated over and leaned on the barrier. It didn’t take much time to come up with a name, if he was honest, he’d been thinking about it since Phichit’s friend had sent it. He picked up a sharpie and wrote the name in English, so any of the staff could read it. 

“Mm. Perfect.” Viktor sighed.

In September, his first and maybe last season with Viktor would begin. He promised himself and everyone he’d make it count. He would skate to Eros, and he’d skate to Yuri on Ice.


	6. Chigoku, Shikoku & Kyushu

A couple of days later, Yuuri and Viktor went down to the Rink where the Chigoku, Shikoku and Kyushu Championship was being held, along with Nishigori and Minako, as they were the only people who could get time off work to come watch him. As he sat waiting to choose his placing, Yuuri noticed something. That he was the oldest of the four people competing...by a lot. 

He fidgeted a little. Last time he’d been here he’d drawn 1st place, and he hated going first. He didn’t know why but he always failed worse when he went first. Yuuri could feel the other skaters buzzing next to him, especially the guy in the second seat a long from him. After a while, a female voice called his name, and he stepped up to choose his spot. In his mind he kept praying not to go first. Yuuri drew one of the small cards out of the bag and…

“Katsuki Yuuri will go first.” The woman announced.

Yuuri was more than ready for the earth to swallow him whole at that moment. Why did he have to pick first again?! That was twice in a row he’d done it, and he was starting to think someone hard cursed him. As Yuuri sat down, he noticed the kid next to him and his face in his hands. Was...he ok? He turned back to the front, until the kid started to speak.

“I can’t believe I got to see you draw first again Yuri! I’m so lucky!” He giggled.

“Um…” Yuuri looked at this kid, trying to think if he knew him or not.”

“Don’t you remember me?! But how?!” 

Before Yuuri could even think about answering that question, the lady at the front called him to get his spot. He shot up like a bullet and ended up drawing last. As he stood there and showed the crowd, Yuuri continued to try and place the kid. Now that he looked at him, he did look very familiar. 

After everyone had been given a spot, Viktor pulled Yuuri away to do a couple of interviews. The Japanese man wasn’t entirely liking the idea of answering question after question, so he stood there and let Viktor answer them. It wasn’t until the Russian started talking about how Yuuri could take it easy for this competition, that spoke up and said something.

“I believe I’ve told you this before Viktor, but I failed miserably at last year’s nationals. Everyone thought I was injured but there was nothing physically wrong with me. Despite being one of the best skaters, I was emotionally weak, and that’s why I lost!”

“Wow!” Viktor gasped.

Yuuri would be the first to admit that he wasn’t entirely sure about how this competition would go, especially as it was his first since last year. He made the decision during practice, that if he wasn’t good enough to win this, then he definitely wasn’t good enough to go on to the Grand Prix, so he needs to focus on himself, rather than the other skaters.

The skaters went out onto the ice, in order to get used to skating their programs on it, and Yuuri discovered that Viktor actually owned a tissue box holder that looked like Makkachin. He thought it was a little weird, but mainly extremely endearing. He came to a stop after going through Eros, when he felt like someone was staring at him. He turned a little, and saw the blonde kid with a red fringe watching him as his coach yelled at him for his lack of focus. He thought back to last year, and felt panic rise up in his throat.

‘Focus...focus…’ He thought to himself. 

***

A few hours passed, and it was coming up to the Short Program. Somehow, Yuuri didn’t know exactly, but Viktor had just up and vanished. The Japanese man had searched the competition center from top to bottom and he was nowhere to be seen, and the closer it got to his performance, the more anxious he got at his coach’s absence. He went into the lobby, and sighed with relief when he saw Minako and Nishigori waiting to sit down.

“Have either of you seen Viktor?! The competition’s about to start and I can’t find him anywhere!” He ran up to them.

Before either of his friends could respond, a high pitched shriek came from the door to the building. All three of them turned to see Viktor dressed in a very nice suit. One...that he had not been wearing earlier in the day. He heard Minako mutter something about him under her breath, but Yuuri was already halfway across the room.

“Yuuri! Sorry to keep you waiting~” The Russian purred.

“Why did you change clothes?!” Yuuri asked, trying not to fall prey to that melodious voice.

“Well today is my debut as your coach, so I thought I should be dressed formally!”

“That...makes way too much sense.” He sighed, resigning to just let Viktor have this one.

***

Before Yuuri went onto the ice for the Six minute warm up, he was vaguely aware that Viktor was saying something to him, but he just wanted to get out onto the ice, get it over with. The more he thought about it, he knew he’d get nervous, so he just kept his mind blank apart from the moves he needed to perform. That was the best way for him to get through the performance.

The announcement rang out for the skaters to get off the ice, but seeing as Yuuri was skating first, he simply went over to the side of the ice where Viktor was waiting for him. He took a sip from his water bottle, and noticed that the Russian was...glaring at him? He looked away, keeping his bottle in his mouth. 

“Yuuri, turn around.” He ordered.

“Huh?”

“Just turn around ok?”

The Japanese man turned around, wondering if there was something Viktor wanted him to look at, or if there was something on the back of his costume. Before he could turn back and ask what that was all about, Viktor had wrapped his arms around him in a very tight hug. He would have asked what on earth he was doing, if he hadn’t been completely speechless. Over the sound of what felt like a million snapping cameras, he could only just hear Viktor speak.

“Seduce me with all you can. If you can charm me, then you should have no problem having the entire audience around your little finger. Remember what I tell you in practice?” He whispered into his ear.

Yuuri nodded, and Viktor let him skate into the center. All he needed to do was skate like he did in practice right? The world thought he was envisioning Katsudon, but Yuuri himself knew the truth, and that was all that mattered. He heard the music start, and he went into his opening. 

He was nervous, he’d never deny that, but Viktor’s words before he went out were actually helping. They’d be helping a lot more if the crowd weren’t so unenthusiastic. But he didn’t need to think about that now, all he need to focus on was seducing Viktor. He knew he liked the step sequence, and he could feel the Russian’s eyes tracking him across the ice. He could kind of hear the crowd gasp as he nailed his triple Axel, but that didn’t surprise the skater. It was one of his better jumps. But it was the Salchow coming next that worried him. His success rate in practice was higher now, but he still didn’t know if he could do it in front of so many people. 

Much like Hot Springs on Ice, he over rotated a little, his hand grazing the ice just barely to stop himself from completely going over. He tried to take deep breaths as he went. He wouldn’t lose his charm over this, he knew he wouldn’t, he just needed to get through the rest of program. So what if people didn’t like the routine? Viktor was drawn to him, Viktor came to Japan because of the way he moved. 

He was coming up to his last jump, it was a combination and he’d been consistent with it but...the second jump couldn’t quite make it into a triple, becoming a double instead. Yuuri told himself that was fine, because he didn’t actually fall over. As the program came to an end, he suddenly found himself forgetting the ending of the story.

‘No wait, I remember. The woman leaves the man she seduced, moving to a new town to find another!’ 

With a gasp, Yuuri slid to a stop, arms wrapped around his chest. He did it. It could have been better sure but...he actually did it! The crowd around him burst into applause, but above all of it, one voice in particular cried out to him.

“WELL DONE YUURI! THAT WAS AWESOME!”

‘Who…?’ Yuuri wondered, looking around the rink. 

As he bowed and skated off the ice, he began to wonder how he did. He felt like he did really well but...that would be decided by the judges. After than he began to think about how Viktor saw the program, did he like it? He looked and saw the Russian clapping slowly...that didn’t look good. 

As soon as Yuuri was off the ice, Viktor went into a long speech about how he did. It was all constructive, but the younger man couldn’t help the heat that crept up into his cheeks. He knew Viktor wasn’t disappointed with him, but at the same time he knew he could have done so much better. Eventually, Viktor’s ramblings were cut off as his score was announced.

“The score for Katsuki Yuuri has come in. His Short Program score is 94.36!” 

The crowd started cheering again, but Yuuri wasn’t really listening. He’d beaten his personal best, and by a whole 10 points! He was so happy, and he felt like he should say something, but he was totally speechless. He heard Viktor hum next to him, so he turned to see what the Russian had to say now. 

“You know, I’d have thought you’d have scored in the hundreds, seeing as you weren’t under any pressure~” 

“Right, you’ve scored up in the hundreds multiple times so it must be easy.” Yuuri deadpanned.

“Also, about tomorrow,” Viktor paused so he knew Yuuri was listening. “I think we should lower the jump difficulty. So you can focus on the performance aspects. What do you think?” 

“Eh?!” 

“You’re not frequently nailing them in practice.”

“But-”

“So, it’s not a bad idea to lower the difficulty early in the season. Is it? You should be able to adjust the program so you can peak at the GPF right?” 

Yuuri may have admired this man, may have respected him, may have been totally completely in love with him. But he would never deny that Viktor could be downright threatening when he wanted to be, even when he was holding a poodle tissue box holder. 

After the conversation, Moruka ended up joining them, just to ask a few pre-skating questions. It wasn’t too intimidating, but he still wasn’t in any mood to really put effort into the answers. By the time they were done, the last skater had performed and Moruka was now just chatting casually with Viktor. Yuuri let his eyes wander, just as the blonde kid came through the door. He was saying something about landing a triple Axel, which sounded like a feat for him. The kid noticed Yuuri, and his eyes lit up.

“Ah! Yuuri! Did you see my performance?!” 

“Oh...I’m sorry...I didn’t see any other programs cause I was being interviewed.” He sighed, feeling a little bad for him. 

Within a second of Yuuri finishing his sentence, the kid’s eyes flooded with tears. He looked absolutely distraught, which was something the older skater couldn’t quite understand. 

“Whaaaaat?! But I even had a costume made that was similar to yours! Cause you did Lohengrin too!” He unzipped his jacket.

Yuuri knew that his entire face had gone red, even if he couldn’t see it. Who the hell was this kid?! And why was he so obsessed with Yuuri. The fact that he’d copied what could be considered his worst costume made the situation worse.

“Why that one...a costume from my...dark past…” He mumbled.

“Yuuri! You don’t have a dark past! Don’t make fun of me for looking up to you! For trying to catch up to you! I’m gonna skate with everything I’ve got tomorrow! If you’re half the skater I think you are, you will too! If you slack off I’ll...I’ll...I’ll never forgive you!” 

Yuuri was taken back by this kid’s declaration of war. Well, that was a bit dramatic, but that’s what it felt like to the older. He looked away from him as Moruka started going on about something that he wasn’t paying attention to, but something he said did catch his attention. This kid...Kenjiro Minami...he beat Yuuri at the nationals last year! No...he didn’t beat him, he destroyed him. 

‘Oh crap…’ Yuuri thought.

***

The next day was the Free Skate, and Yuuri was trying his hardest to ignore some of the things Moruka was saying to cameras. Viktor waved politely but the skater decided it was better to just focus on lacing up his skates. Sure, maybe he was in first after the Short Program, but one slip up could send that all crashing down. Yuuri was far too aware of that. He also caught him talking about how Yuuri was doing three quads which...no, wasn’t technically true anymore. Viktor had took it down to one quad which frankly annoyed him a little. 

As he did some stretches before the six minute warm up, making sure that his muscles could move easily enough. He didn’t want to pull anything in the middle of the program. He felt the sensation of someone watching him again, so he turned slightly, to see Minami...grinning at him? He turned back and headed out onto the ice, trying to ignore the other skaters, he just needed to focus on himself. As the warm up ended, he came to a stop next to Viktor who grabbed his wrist. What the…?

“Yuuri…” He deadpanned. “How can someone who can’t motivate others motivate himself? I’m...disappointed...”

With that, Viktor slammed down his blade guards and walked off, leaving Yuuri to think about how broken his own motivation was after that. After that, all he wanted to do was go and do more stretches. But he noticed Minami getting ready to skate and...he hesitated. He didn’t know why, but he could tell the younger skater was gut wrenchingly nervous. He kind of felt sorry for him, and saw a lot of himself in Minami. They were scarily similar even. They both looked up to an older skater, and they both easily got nervous. As the blonde went out into the center of the ice, Yuuri took a deep breath.

“GOOD LUCK MINAMI! DO YOUR BEST!” He pretty much screamed.

The younger skater looked over and his eyes widened. That seemed to do the trick, as he grinned with almost full confidence before the music started. It was jazzy, and actually suited Minami pretty well. He quickly got the audience clapping along with him, and it suddenly hit Yuuri with how popular he really was. He nailed his triple Axel, and Yuuri knew he’d get the next one too. He thought he could continue this jump streak, until he hit the ice with a thud before bouncing back to his feet. He was so inconsistent, and once again Yuuri saw some of himself in the kid. But regardless, Yuuri couldn’t take his eyes off him. He had all the skill he needed to be a brilliant skater and that...unnerved him a little. After a minute, Yuuri went to do some more warming up. 

Yuuri didn’t hear his score, but he could tell by the cheers that he’d done well. He felt a little proud if he was honest. The kid deserved it. He was sure the others would do good as well, but he needed to focus on his warm ups now. 

After a while, it was almost time for him to skate, so he went back up to the rink. He kept his head forward, but he could see Minami watching him. He could only see gray scale, but even he could tell the younger boy was blushing. He walked past him, and paused, before aiming to smack his back. However, he miscalculated and smacked his ass instead. He only intended to pat him as a way of saying well done, but he continued on his journey towards Viktor, silently praying that Minami didn’t notice he just hit his butt.

When he met Viktor on the side of the ice, the Russian gave him a warm smile that was much different from the last time they were together. He shrugged off his warm up clothes and handed them to his coach, keeping quiet in fear that he’d throw up. 

“The costume looks great on you. You look stunning.” Viktor said, his heart shaped smile growing. “Ah! Your lips are chapped!”

Yuuri held still as Viktor took out a pot of lip balm and applied it to his bottom lips. He couldn’t understand why the Russian didn’t just let him do it himself, but he wasn’t going to fight. There was no point fighting Viktor. He pulled him into a close hug, and Yuuri patted his back. It was a little awkward, but it felt nice to be held like this. He felt he could get used to it. 

The last person before Yuuri waved and came off the ice, meaning it was time for him to perform. As he skated out, he began to think about the program. One quad...as easy as it would be to do that, Yuuri didn’t like the feeling of it. He needed to win, he knew what he needed to do to win but...could having only one quad get him a victory? He didn’t know. 

He started to skate, and these thoughts were still spinning through his head. Such an important program, he didn’t want to mess it up. His first jump was a quad triple combination but...but...He ended up doing a double triple, half way through the jump deciding to just keep the program the way it was. He knew he could do it. He was confident he could. He didn’t know how Viktor would react, he’d probably be mad...but he couldn’t think about that right now. He just needed to express his feelings, from skating on his own to being here with Viktor now. 

His next jump was a triple Salchow, but he went for a quadruple instead. As always he stepped out of it, hand hitting the ice, but he recovered quickly and continued skating. He wasn’t worried about the mistake, the rest of his program had gone well and he was certain that the rest of it would too. His heart was pounding, almost in time to the music, as he went into a Camel Spin. The triple Loop went perfect, and he could feel his energy fading. He just needed to hang in there a little longer. He wobbled on the triple Axel a little, but not enough to throw him off balance. He was almost there now. A triple Flip next...he almost fell out of it, but managed to stay on his feet; his heart leaping up into his throat. The next combination went well too, and the one after that. He could feel the entire rink staring at him as he spun across the ice. He went into his final jump, but as he landed everything went black for a second. He wasn’t quite sure what happened, but he could hear the audience gasp. What exactly had happened?! And why did his nose hurt!? 

He spun to a stop, arms extended completely coincidentally to Viktor. He couldn't really tell what expression was on his face, but he couldn’t care less. The crowd was going wild for him, despite the blood dripping down his face from his nose. He started to wave to the crowd, and turned to the people who were standing around Viktor, when he saw the look on his face. It could only be described as blank. He laughed nervously, which immediately stopped as Viktor face palmed. But he immediately looked back up at him, and held his arms out. Viktor...wants a hug?! A big grin spread across Yuuri’s face and he skated over as fast as he could. He expected Viktor to catch him, to pull him into his arms and hold him tight. Instead he side stepped him, letting him crash to the ground.

“Watch the nosebleed!” He chuckled.

After a brief pause of Viktor helping Yuuri to his feet, and Viktor telling him what a wonderful job he’d done despite his stumbles and face planting into a wall, just as his score was announced.

“The score for Katsuki Yuuri has come in. His Free Program score is 165.20, making his total 259.56!”

That was it...he’d done it! Despite the stumbles, despite the fall, despite him nursing a bloodied nose, he’d won! He’d won and Viktor was proud of him, and hugging him and he actually felt a bit faint now that he thought about it. As Viktor went on about how they could improve, some footsteps came behind him.

“Yuuri!” It was Minami. “You totally beat me! But I swear, I’ll face you at the Grand Prix someday! Until then...please...don’t quit! Also, can we have your autograph?!”

The other two skaters, came up as well, holding pieces of paper for Yuuri to sign. This was new for him, but he smiled as he signed the papers for them. It made him happy that they looked open to him so much, that they were inspired to skate by him. When he went to find Minako and Nishigori it was much the same thing. Minako was even crying!

“Yuuri! I was so impressed! You took the competition so seriously, even though you were up against a bunch of teens!” She gushed.

“What the hell were you doing at the end?! Smashing your face into the wall like that!” Nishigori actually sounded worried.

“Ah...sorry about that.” He laughed nervously. “At the start...I was kind of desperate to do well, I mean even this is a competition that I can’t afford to lose. But then...about halfway through...I really started to have fun! In fact, I can’t really remember most of it!” 

The older two seemed a little confused, but it made sense to Yuuri, and he knew Viktor would understand as well. His friends weren’t professional skaters, they didn’t really understand the adrenaline rush it can give you.

Yuuri ended up going to collect his certificate with tissues stuffed up his nose, but he wasn’t as embarrassed about it as he probably would have been a year ago. Standing on top of the podium, he realised that this was the most fun he’d had in a competition in a long time, and the idea of that made him smile so much that he couldn’t really stop it. Viktor was proud of him, and he was going to the Cup of China in a few weeks. 

***

After that, he only had to wait a couple of hours for a press conference about the upcoming Grand Prix. He hadn’t realised, but Viktor had booked him one night in a hotel, just so he wouldn’t be rushing back home. He found that relieved him, as it meant he wouldn’t be hanging around the ice rink and could change somewhere more comfortable. 

The Russian was going back to Hasetsu ahead of him, deciding to watch the conference on TV. Yuuri had asked him to, he felt he may have slipped up and embarrassed himself if Viktor was actually there in person. Despite it being Yuuri’s decision, Viktor actually seemed hesitant to leave him.

“Are you sure you’ll be ok?” He asked for the millionth time.

“Viktor I’ll be fine. I’ll take the first train in the morning back to Hasetsu.” He moved to pull his tie out of his bag.

Before he could actually get it though, Viktor had wrapped his arms around him. Yuuri’s cheeks got warmer as the Russian’s lips brushed against his neck and he squeezed him gently. Why was Viktor getting so intimately close!? 

“But Yuuri~ I should be there to support you as your coach~” He mumbled.

“Viktor stop!” He pulled away, visibly flustered. “Look...I know you’re an affectionate person, and that’s fine but...but just...one step at a time with me ok? A-and besides! Your Soulmate-”

“Soulmate? Yuuri, I-”

“It’s fine! Just...cut down on it...please…” He smiled softly.

Yuuri couldn’t really place the expression on Viktor’s face, but it melted away to reveal a smile as he agreed to what he was saying. That was odd? As he left, he gave Yuuri a quick hug, before letting him get changed. The Japanese man’s breath shook, as he got into his suit, ready for the conference. 

***

When he got there, he took his seat and waited patiently. There were a couple of people before him, the pair skaters, the female single, and then it was his turn. He didn’t actually know the other three skaters, but they seemed like nice people, giving him thumbs up as the presenter called his name.

“Finally, we have Katsuki Yuuri.”

Yuuri got to his feet, holding the card with his theme on, and waited as Moruka did some more talking. As he waited, his mind drifted to Viktor’s hands on him earlier. He almost regretted pulling away from him, but he didn’t want to be the one to take him away from his Soulmate. 

“Katsuki? Your theme for this season?” 

Yuuri was pulled back to reality, and he quietly placed the card on it’s holder. It read, in both English and Japanese, the word Love along with his signature. Moruka handed him the microphone, and he took a deep breath. He knew Viktor was home watching with his family, all he needed to do was get through a short speech. That was it. 

“My theme for the Grand Prix this year is “love”. Throughout my skating career, many people have helped me get to where I am now, both as a person and a skater, but until recently...I’ve never actually thought too much about love. I was blessed with support from friends and family but...I’ve never been able to take full advantage of it. I always felt like I was fighting alone.” 

He paused, clearing his throat. 

“But...since Viktor became my coach, things have changed for me. My ‘love’ isn’t clearly one type, like romantic love, but it’s a more abstract feeling...about my relationships, not just with Viktor, but my family and hometown too. I realise now...there is so much love for me from the people in my life.”

Another pause. He’d kind of lost track of what he was meant to be saying, but he just decided to roll with it at this point. 

“Viktor is the first...and probably the only person I’ve ever wanted to hold on too. I don’t have a real name for that emotion...but for now, I’ve decided to call it ‘love’. Now that I know what it is, I’m stronger for it, and I’ll prove it to myself with a Grand Prix Final Gold Medal!”

Yuuri breathed heavily as the audience and reporters started cheering. He felt like it could have gone better, but he felt that it went well regardless. He had no idea what Viktor or his family would say when he got back, but that was something he could deal with tomorrow. All he wanted to do now, was continue riding that winning high.


	7. Cup of China

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter contains smut. Just a warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned this on my Tumblr the other day, but I'm gonna be away for the next couple of weeks without computer no internet. And I don't have the chapters ready to schedule, so instead of this, I'm gonna upload two one shots for the Thursdays I'm gone.

A few weeks passed, and Yuuri and Viktor were getting ready to fly out to Beijing. It was just the two of them going there, his family deciding to support him from Japan due to the cost of getting them all out there with him. He stood in the entrance kissing his family goodbye, hugging them all. Mari held on a bit longer to whisper in his ear.

“Knock them dead bro. And that includes Viktor. Could be your Soulmate yet!”

“Nee-san!” Yuuri whined, as his sister rested her head on Minako’s shoulder.

He looked over and saw that Viktor was currently saying goodbye to Makkachin, who surprisingly enough seemed to be holding on to his owners every word. Yuuri knew Viktor’s dog was older, but he couldn’t help but be reminded of how Vic-Chan used to look at him the exact same way.

“Makka, be good while I’m gone da~? And stay out of the steamed buns!” He pulled the big dog into a hug.

After that, they got into the taxi and drove off. They were quiet for most of the journey, seeing as both of them were still really tired from getting up early. The only time they spoke was when Viktor saw something and asked what the word for it in Japanese was. The fact that he was asking made Yuuri wonder if the Russian was slowly trying to learn his language. He wouldn’t have been surprised if he came up to him one day speaking fluent Japanese. 

They got their bags checked in with relative ease, and then it was just a case of waiting for the plane to get to the gate, and then for the gate to open. Yuuri decided he wasn’t going to make it through this flight without coffee, so he went and ordered a cup from one of the many shops around the gates. He asked Viktor if he wanted one, but the Russian seemed to have a reserve of energy Yuuri could only wish he had. They sat in silence for a while, and Yuuri’s mind wandered to before the press conference. Viktor had kept his promise to keep the touching to a decent amount for a platonic relationship, but now Yuuri almost wish he hadn’t asked. 

“Yuuri? Are you ok?” Viktor nudged him gently.

“Hm? Oh yeah, yeah I’m fine.”

It wasn’t long after that, that the announcement for their flight was played. They made their way in silence, giving Yuuri even more time to think, to the point that it was bordering on dangerous. Mostly, he thought about Viktor, wondering what life would be like if they were Soulmates. Good morning kisses before going to the rink, making each other dinner, sleeping together and-

“Yuuri? We need to get on the plane? Are you ok?” 

The Japanese man looked up, eyes wide behind his glasses. He hadn’t realised that he’d stopped walking and had a lot of people staring at him. Yuuri apologised quietly to the people around him and quickly made his way on to the plane. Well, that was embarrassing. Not only had he annoyed people, but now Viktor was worried too. He tried to give the Russian a reassuring smile, but he could tell his coach wasn’t convinced. Once they were sat down, Yuuri let out a breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding.

“I haven’t flown coach in a while~! We could get champagne?” Viktor grinned.

“Uh...can I just get some sleep?” 

“Oh, yeah sure. Yuuri are you ok?” He asked, frowning a little.

Yuuri leaned against the window next to him and closed his eyes, but he didn’t really fall asleep. He was still acutely aware of what was going on around him, especially when he could feel Viktor watching him. He did end up buying a glass of champagne, and fell asleep soon after finishing it, resting his head on the Skater’s shoulder. This was nice, having Viktor so close to him, but not in an intimate way. 

***

By the time the plane landed, Yuuri felt that he was definitely better rested. He was a little surprised that he eventually drifted off anyway, seeing as he was on a plane on top of the anxiety of competing. Once they were safely in the terminal, Yuuri pulled out his phone and turned it on...to find a message from Phichit? He opened it, and it only had one word.

‘Incoming.’

Incoming? What did…  
Before he could question it further, Yuuri suddenly found he had a crushing weight on his back. He spun around, hoping that it was his friend, and was relieved and excited to see the Thai boy clinging to him with a grin the size of Russia. 

“Yuuri~!” He sang.

“Hey! Phichit!”

They agreed to catch up later, as Viktor was tugging at him to talk to some reporters. If he was honest, that wasn’t really as important to him as talking to one of his best friends, but he answered the questions, keeping his eyes low, and not actually looking at any of the people he was talking to. He could tell Viktor was getting bored as well, because he’d started going on and on about getting Hot Pot, which again wasn’t Yuuri’s biggest concern. 

“Come on Yuuri~ Let’s go get Hot Pot now!” He demanded for the millionth time.

“I’m in the middle of an interview.” Yuuri said with a fond tone.

“Oh! Yakov!” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes and shook his head, as Viktor slipped away from him to pester Yakov. It didn’t take long for the interviewers to move on to another skater, he wasn’t really bothered who, and just as he turned to see Viktor pulling him into his arms and dragging him away.

“Yakov’s not interested. Let’s just go!” He sang, dragging Yuri away.

***

The restaurant Viktor took him to was nice, but extremely expensive. Within the first five minutes of sitting down, Yuuri was already anxious about how the hell he was going to afford any of this. Viktor immediately calmed him by offering to pay for the meal, which then got him thinking...was this a date? Yuuri quickly shook the thought from his head, of course it wasn’t a date. Viktor ended up ordering for both of them, and got strangely excited when all of it came.

“Vkusno~!” He sang after swallowing some shrimp. “Huh? Yuuri you’re not eating Shrimp?!”

“I always avoid raw food before competitions…”

“But it’s so good!” Viktor persisted.

Yuuri simply shook his head, and Viktor thankfully let it drop. He sighed and pushed his food around the plate, thinking about the press conference. He’d started regretting what he’d said the minute he’d got back to the hotel room, the mere thought of it drawing a sigh from him. 

“Ugh...I feel like I said way too much at the press conference…What if I lose again after that…?” 

Viktor frowned a little, looking concerned at the drop in confidence that the skater was showing, but before he could actually answer, another voice interrupted.

“Hey~! Yuuri~!”

Yuuri looked up in shock, and a wide grin split across his face as Phichit waved at him. His friend had been dragged off so suddenly before, so it was good to see him in a place where they wouldn’t be harassed too bad. 

“Phichit!”

“So this is where you’ve been hiding!” He laughed.

“Hi!” Viktor waved cheerfully.

“Hey~! But really what a coincidence! Can I invite Celestino? You wanna see him, don’t you Yuuri?” 

“Not...really…”

It didn’t take long for Phichit to pull his friend out of his seat and throw him next to Viktor, which Yuuri thought was a little unnecessary. Soon Celestino had joined them; he and Viktor having a few drinks. Neither Yuuri nor Phichit were drinking because of the competition, but it was a little funny to watch their coaches get absolutely wasted. 

However, they soon began to regret letting the two of them anywhere near alcohol. Celestino had just passed out about 15 minutes ago, and Viktor was somehow still conscious, but he was not in any definition of the word ‘ok’. At some point his clothes had all come off, and now he was clinging to Yuuri. He was...so naked. Yuuri looked up and realised that two other skaters, Guang-Hong Ji from China and Leo de la Iglesias from America, and sighed. Of course they had to show up when Viktor Nikiforov was hanging off him with his hands going places they really shouldn’t be and...oh god!

“Uuh...sorry...they had a bit too much to drink…” Phichit chuckled.

“Yuuuuuuriiii~! Let’s got to a hot spring~!” Viktor almost spoke.

“Viktor no…”

“You should take your clothes off too~!”

Yuuri blushed as he felt his coach’s hand creeping up his shirt. Viktor was...touching him...his hands wandering over his stomach, then up over the rest of his torso. His face got more and more hot as Viktor’s other hand traveled downwards and holy crap this was not the time or place for that. He pulled away, sliding across the bench seat.

“Viktor...stop...You’re drunk...your Soulmate-” 

“Yuuri~? Why do you keep demanding that my Soulmate is anyone other than you~?” 

The Japanese man was 99% sure that his heart stopped in that moment. His eyes flicked to Phichit, who looked just as shocked, but then he began to laugh nervously. Maybe he was trying to make him feel better, but he just felt the sudden urge to get out and back to the hotel. He pulled out of Viktor’s grasp and stood up, pushing his glasses back up his face.

“Yuuri?” He looked genuinely confused.

“I’m heading back now. Let me know when you’re leaving.” 

Before Viktor could say anything else he left, he could see Phichit looking concerned, but he knew his friend would get Viktor back to the hotel. He felt a little sick, why the hell did Viktor have to say that Soulmate comment!? The minute he got back, he pulled off his clothes and slid under the covers. 

But...what if he was Viktor’s Soulmate? What if he had been from the very beginning? What would that mean for him? Cause if he was Viktor’s Soulmate...and Viktor wasn’t his...that would mean a whole lot of heartbreak on both parts. 

He decided to just put Viktor’s words down to the extensive amount of alcohol and closed his eyes. Tomorrow was the first day of the Cup of China, and if he was going to perform Eros to its potential, he need to get some sleep.

***

The next day, before the competition, he heard whispering that had his heart racing. He couldn’t even properly hear what they were saying, and he had no idea if it was even really about him...until Phichit shuffled towards him holding his phone.

“Phichit? You ok?”

“Ye-yeah. Um…” He took a deep breath, before showing him his phone.

Yuuri took it and looked at the picture on the screen. It was from the other night, Viktor was completely naked and throwing himself on top of Yuuri. He remembered that happening but he didn’t remember seeing the picture being taken. At first he didn’t see the big deal, but then it hit him what the picture looked like.

“And you uploaded it?!” 

“I’m sorry Yuuri I didn’t realised how it’d look until afterwards!”

He sighed deeply, and Phichit put a hand on his shoulder. He knew his friend never had any intentions to hurt him but he could really be a bit dense when he wanted to be. He shrugged the photo off, deciding it was pointless to cry about it. He turned away to look for Viktor, when he felt a hand where there really shouldn’t be a hand. He gasped and tried to see who it was. Was it Viktor? No, there was no way Viktor would grope him like this so blatantly when he was sober.

“Yuuri~ why didn’t you invite me~?” That was a voice he recognised.

“Chris!?” He gasped.

The Swiss man was intimately close to him, much in the same way Viktor was last night, only he wasn’t as comfortable as he was with his coach. He looked around and smiled nervously as his friend looked him up and down.

“Looks like you’ve lost weight. Guess your master’s giving you very thorough training~!” 

“Chris! How are you?”

The two of them looked over and saw Viktor coming towards them looking...less than amused. Yuuri wondered silently why he looked so uptight at Chris and him together, but he decided he could ask him about it later. 

“Awful! I’m completely unmotivated without you!”

“You always say you’re unmotivated at the start of a competition.” Viktor sighed.

After that Yuuri wasn’t really listening. A lot of people were telling Viktor that he should stop playing coach and come back to the skating world, even Chris said something along the lines of keeping Viktor for himself was a sin. He knew the whole world wanted him back, but at this point he wasn’t really sure if he could keep him from going. Despite everything Viktor had done for him...if the Russian wanted to get back into skating as a competitor...Yuuri really didn’t think he had it in him to stop him. 

***

Phichit went up first and Yuuri watched him skate to the main theme of one of his favourite musicals. Phichit had wanted to skate to this music for years, and had made Yuuri watch The King and The Skater so many times they could probably quote the movie by heart. As he watched his friend glide across the ice, he could tell how hard he was working, being the best he could be. 

He gasped as his friend flawlessly went through several jumps, and Yuuri figured that he was in with a very good chance of getting it perfect. He was so sure in fact, that he winced when Phichit hit the ice after falling out of a jump. He recovered quickly though, and he made it through the rest of the program, the entire audience clapping in time to the music. 

Yuuri knew his friend was an incredible skater, but now he was totally in his element and he nailed almost everything. The Japanese man felt his heart swell with pride at seeing his Thai friend do so well, and cheered silently when his score of 86.75. 

After Phichit was Guang-Hong, but he wasn’t really paying attention. He’d moved away from the TV and started warming up...and thinking. Most of the people in the audience would probably prefer seeing Viktor skate his programs, rather than Yuuri himself. But he also knew that the people who are out there cheering for him are expecting the new Yuuri, the one who could skate Eros perfectly. If he was going to satisfy every single person out there...even if it meant being hated by the entire world.

***

After that it was time for Yuuri to skate, and he was still thinking about what he needed to do. He was so out of it, that Viktor had to get his attention by grabbing his fist. He looked at him, and saw him smirking.

“Your days of seducing me with Pork Cutlet Bowls and women is over. Though I guess in a way they never really began. It’s ok that you don’t want to tell me the real way you seduce me, but try not to rely on it too much now. Fight for me with your own charm. You know what you need to do, da?” 

Yuuri paused, thinking about Viktor’s words. Maybe he should try it the other way round...instead of picturing Viktor seducing him...he should picture himself seducing Viktor? Is that what he meant? He felt like he should feel a little bad about imagining himself seducing a man with a Soulmate, but at the same time, he didn’t feel nearly as bad as he should have done. In a surge of courage, he laced his and Viktor’s fingers together and pressed their foreheads together. If he was supposed to be seducing his coach this time, may as well go all out.

“Don’t ever take your eyes off me.”

Before the Russian could respond, Yuuri skated away from him and did a quick lap before stopping in the middle. He could feel Viktor’s eyes on him, and a small smile played on his lips as his coach took what he said literally. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he waited for the music...and yet he felt oddly calm. And then it began.

He went through the first few movement, and he found himself subconsciously licking his lips. Was that a bit much for seduction? Maybe. But he figured Viktor might like it. What else could he do to seduce Viktor anymore than normal? He went through his program, vaguely aware of the announcer giving a play by play. He always wondered why they did that for anything other than the moves, cause it’s not like they couldn’t see what he was doing, the audience was on raised seats. 

He heard the announcer say something about how different he was from his previous seasons, and Yuuri had to suppress a chuckle. Of course they were shocked, they weren’t wrong in the fact that Yuuri had never shown this side of himself, but now they really wanted to know the side they saw. 

His step sequence went flawlessly and he went into the next part of his program. He knew how hard it was going to be, moving all of his jumps into the second half, but he knew he had the stamina for it, and he was determined to make it last. His triple Axel went flawless, but it was the upcoming quad Salchow that had him worried. In practice it was fine, but he was still struggling with it in competition. He went into the jump...and for the first time this season he landed it perfectly. At this point his heart was racing, a combination of adrenaline and nerves coursing through his veins. 

Viktor had said he was his Soulmate...so what if that was true? What if he was the only one Viktor ever thought about in a romantic...and sexual way? What if Yuuri Katsuki was the only one who could satisfy the biological desires of living legend Viktor Nikiforov? He could only dream of a world where he knew Viktor’s true, unabridged feelings, but the love in Viktor’s eyes when he’d looked at him last night...he could pretend that that was the true Viktor.

His final jumps were the combination quad and triple Toe Loop, and they went as well as they usually do. He was coming to the end, and he wasn’t even sweating too heavily. It was shocking, but he’d completed the program perfectly, not a single flaw, even his quad Salchow had gone better than expected. He took deep breaths when he stopped, trying to get his pulse to calm down. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw Viktor literally jumping up and down and cheering for him, which...made him feel great!

He took his bows and waved to the audience. They’d totally loved him, more than he’d anticipated. Sure, maybe they still hated him for stealing Viktor Nikiforov away from them, but that didn’t matter. They’d loved his performance, they were cheering for him. He waved as he skated over to the ‘Kiss and Cry’, where he met Viktor who was beaming in every sense of the word. They sat down together, his coach handing him a plush Onigiri toy that he’d picked up somewhere, and waited for Yuuri’s score to come in. The Japanese man blushed faintly as their knees touched, which was a little silly considering the circumstances. 

“Yuuri? Did that feel good?” Viktor asked him quietly.

“Well...I hope the people watching me are feeling great.” He replied, keeping his eyes on the screen above him. 

He heard Viktor hum at response, but he didn’t say anything about it. Yuuri wondered what he’d meant by asking that, but he knew Viktor well enough by now to figure that it probably didn’t actually mean anything. Viktor followed his gaze as his score was presented on the screen...106.84...that beat his personal best by a load!

Viktor cheered again, before wrapping his arms tightly around the skater, pulling him close to the point that he could feel his breath on his neck. His cheeks got warmer and he tried to focus on staring at the screen.

“Of course they’d feel great watching you~ You’re the best student!” 

Yuuri saw the cameras watching them, and wondered what his family at home were thinking. Not only of his amazing score, but of Viktor hanging off him as well. His family knew about his preference for guys, well...his preference for Viktor...and they were extremely supportive of him, but he always wondered what they’d think if something happened between them. 

He awkwardly made his way through another interview, and it suddenly hit him that every other skater, the other three today and the rest of them tomorrow would all be trying to beat him. He’d never been number one before...it was an interesting feeling. 

He and Viktor watched the other three skaters, and it gave him a chance to observe the one skater he wasn’t really familiar with. Georgi Popovich, he was roughly the same age as Viktor but he was nowhere near as good. Not saying he wasn’t good, he just wasn’t as good as Viktor. He did well though, scoring fairly average but not quite beating Yuuri. 

Leo went next, and Yuuri decided to join Phichit and Guang-Hong in front of a TV. The American was good, and it made sense that he won gold in Skate America. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the way the youngest skater was watching his friend, what he could tell was a blush over his nose and his hands covering his mouth. It was the same way he used to watch Viktor. He turned his attention back to Leo, and couldn’t help but be impressed, the program was designed to play at the skater’s strengths, and it worked brilliantly. He ended up scoring 87.98, and as happy for him as Yuuri was, he couldn’t help but feel a little relieved.

Finally was Chris, and the three younger skaters watched him with intrigue. They knew Chris was an extremely erotic person off the ice, but on the ice he was even more so. Viktor had joined them at some point, wanting to watch his friend. Instead of just standing next to him, he decided to wrap his arms around Yuuri, and...hold his hand? Yet Yuuri wasn’t as uncomfortable with this as he normally was, and he could feel Viktor relax when he realised the skater wasn’t going to push him away this time. They watched as Chris nailed an amazing triple Lutz, followed by a combination spin. It was nothing short of erotic.

“Chris said he wasn’t motivated…” Viktor muttered, “But he’s never once gone into a major slump. He starts slow he can peak at the final. He knows what he’s doing. But now...he’s going for full sex appeal.”

It hit Yuuri that Viktor and Chris could be better friends than he thought. He remembered at the the last banquet seeing the two of them standing and talking together for most of the night, so it made sense that Viktor would know Chris’ skating habits best. As his program finished, Yuuri’s jaw dropped as he saw Chris’ entire body was shaking with...was he...having an orgasm….on the ice?! 

“Well...I guess Chris wins on the sex appeal front…” Yuuri sighed.

“The ice looks...soaking wet…” Phichit whispered.

In the end, Chris ended up with a well deserved 85.60, which meant...that Yuuri was in first place. He couldn’t quite believe it, and didn’t really know how to handle it as Viktor took him back to their hotel. The Russian held his hand gently the whole way, and it was comforting.

Viktor shut the door behind him as Yuuri went ahead and stripped out of the costume. He couldn’t really comprehend that just under a year ago, he’d been rushing out of Viktor’s hotel room, face warm with embarrassment, and now they shared a hotel room, and though he wasn’t 100% comfortable with his body, Viktor convinced him he really didn’t mind them seeing each other in little to no clothing. He supposed that Viktor felt Yuuri would be the same, seeing as he grew up in an onsen, and he didn’t have a problem with seeing other people. It was himself he had the issue with. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and frowned.

“Yuuri?” He felt Viktor watching him, as he let the top of the costume hang around his hips.

“Hmm?”

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah it’s just…”

“Your body?” Viktor waited for him to nod or shake. “Yuuri, you’re in perfect shape for an athlete, you look better than the majority of men your age.” 

“Hmmm…”

Viktor came over and wrapped his arms around him, pressing his mouth against his bare shoulder. The Japanese man sighed, and suddenly he wasn’t thinking about how he looked, not in that way anyway. More he was focused on how Viktor looked attached to him, the way his pale hands looked against Yuuri’s slightly more tanned chest.

“Yuuri, you really are gorgeous. Anyone who says otherwise is completely blind.” He told him, locking eyes with the Japanese man through the mirror.

“Viktor…?” He muttered, suddenly finding that he couldn’t stay in the dark about something.

“Da detka?” Yuuri blushed at the sudden pet name.

“Um…last night at the hot pot place...you asked me why I kept saying that your Soulmate is someone other than me…?”

“I vaguely remember, yes…” He suddenly looked...nervous?

“What did you mean by that?”

“I...it was a genuine question Yuuri. One that you didn’t answer.” 

Yuuri felt his eyes burning a little, so he blinked several times to get rid of the sensation. Was Viktor really implying what he thought he was? He jumped a little as Viktor bit down on his shoulder gently.

“Because there’s no possible way that someone like me could be your Soulmate Viktor.”

“Yuuri-”

He pulled away from him and quickly slipped into bed. There was no way he was Viktor’s Soulmate, and he didn’t want to think about it. He felt Viktor lean over him, followed by his breath in his ear.

“Yuuri I...I feel strongly about you. You may not be able to believe we can be more than what we are...But I do. Even if...even if you’re not my Soulmate…”

Yuuri closed his eyes, he’d never heard Viktor be so serious before; it unnerved him a little. 

***

Viktor was...staring at him again. Nothing more had been said about last night’s, and it didn’t feel like that’s why the Russian was giving him such an intense stare, which only left him wondering why.

“Yuri...you haven’t slept have you…?” He asked.

“I did! A little bit!” 

He’d actually gotten little to no sleep last night, his mind too occupied by Viktor’s words. The two of them...together...in relationship...without being Soulmates? It wasn’t uncommon for that to happen, but more often than not when the actual Soulmates came along they’d break down and end up splitting up. Which had made Yuuri wonder...which would be worse? Having Viktor and losing him, or never having him at all.

Before he could protest, Yuuri found himself in an empty room with a...futon? What the hell was Viktor planning?! He couldn’t say anything, as Viktor had already pushed him onto it and was draping a blanket over him. 

“You should sleep until it starts.” He patted Yuuri gently. “Don’t worry about it, I’d sleep until the last minute too…”

Yuuri paused, and it didn’t take long to realise that Viktor had fallen asleep on top of him, and that was when he started to panic.

“Viktor?! Did you set an alarm?! Viktor!?”

When he got no response, Yuuri sighed and closed his eyes. He could at least try and get a little sleep...but with Viktor’s head resting directly over his heart, arms wrapped around him, cuddling him almost protectively, he was unsure if he could actually sleep.

***

The god damned water bottle just wouldn’t stop moving! Or was it...that Yuuri’s hands just wouldn’t stop shaking. He’d tried to sleep like Viktor had instructed...but couldn’t. He was too nervous and his mind was too busy. He kept trying to get the water bottle open because he really needed a drink but it just...wouldn’t open! He jumped, almost dropping the bottle, as Viktor grabbed him by the shoulders. He was smiling, but it wasn’t a happy smile. 

“Yuuri~ did you not nap like I told you to Detka?” There was that pet name again.

“I did! I...I mean...at least a little!” He stammered.

“I don’t think you should do any jumps during your 6 minute warm up today~ In fact I forbid you as your coach!” 

“Eh!?”

“That’s an order da~?” 

Yuuri nodded and went out onto the ice, going through his usual warm ups. Viktor had told him not to do any jumps but...he needed to do at least one! Just an easy single Toe Loop that’s all he needed to do. He tried the jump...and hit the ice with a thud. He quickly got up just as they were making their way off the ice. He knew Viktor had told him not to for a reason but he couldn’t just not warm up for jumps. As they went to find a quiet place to continue warming up, Viktor waved lazily, telling him not to worry about messing a jump in practice. The thing was though...Yuuri was very much worrying about it. 

“Sorry…” He mumbled quietly, keeping his eyes down.

“We’ll just keep warming up for now, Da?”

He knew Guang-Hong was going first, but he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to watch or not. As Yuuri walked by a couple of TV’s, his attention was drawn to the young Chinese skater. He was so graceful and flowed beautifully to the music and...and...Yuuri started to feel anxiety clawing it’s way up it’s throat, so he did the thing any normal person would do. He went and turned all the TVs off before sitting on a chair with his head in his hands. 

He heard the cheering die down, and Chris’ music begin. Once again, very adult, very erotic, very Chris. Yuuri heard Viktor clear his throat above him, and looked up at see him holding his hand out with...ear plugs?

“Put them in, you should be able to focus better.” 

Yuuri took them and put them in, stunned at the sudden lack of sound despite it making total sense with the earplugs in. He stood up, and smiled at Viktor, before going to do some more stretching. He was fine for about 30 seconds, before he started to think more and more about his upcoming Free Program. He pressed his arms against the wall, and attempted to stretch...but he couldn’t move his body well enough. 

Without warning, Viktor grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him away, muttering something about finding a more private place to warm up. He hadn’t even realised that there were some cameras focused on him, and found himself glad that Viktor had taken the initiative to get him out of there. 

Time passed, and Yuuri wasn’t really sure how many people had competed, seeing as they were down in the parking lot. He’d asked Viktor about it, but he’d avoided the question like a prop and quickly got him back to warming up. He kind of wanted to watch Phichit skate, but he realised that with his current mental state that’d be a bad idea. 

In the end, curiosity got the better of him, and he took out the earplugs just as Phichit’s music came to an end and people started cheering...and cheering loudly. If he’d been bad before...that was nothing in comparison to what he felt now. Yuuri looked up at the ceiling, just as Viktor turned to him. He gasped and rushed at him, covering Yuuri’s ears with his hands.

“Don’t listen!” He yelled, as Yuuri let the plugs fall from his fingers.

They stared at each other for a while, for what felt like hours. Just the two of them gazing into each other’s eyes intensely. If Yuuri had ever dreamed Viktor to be his Soulmate, he’d never wanted it more than now, and yet he still knew it wouldn’t happen. And it didn’t. 

Soon, Yuuri started to feel a little awkward. Viktor hadn’t said a single thing, and if Phichit had just finished that meant there was only Leo and Georgi to go before him. They’d probably need to start heading to the rink side soon, so Yuuri gently held Viktor’s wrists, and brought his hands away from his ears.

“Vi-Viktor...It’s almost time...we should go up now…” He told him, looking away.

The Russian didn’t say anything, so Yuuri assumed it was ok to start heading up now. It was weird when Viktor went quiet, because it meant he was thinking hard about something. Before Yuuri could get more than five steps towards the door into the competition building, Viktor spoke.

“Yuuri…” He paused. “If you mess up your free skate and miss the podium today, I’ll take responsibility for it and resign as your coach.” 

Yuuri felt his heart shatter the minute those words left Viktor’s lips. What did he mean he’d resign?! He’d just up and leave because Yuuri made one mistake?! Or was it that he’d use it as an opportunity to get out while he still could or...or...The skater felt tears burning his eyes, and he clenched his fist tightly. What the hell was Viktor playing at!? Then he looked shocked when he’d started to cry!

“Why...would you say something like that...Are you trying to test me?!” His voice cracked as he spoke.

“Ah...I’m sorry Yuuri. I wasn’t being serious, I just-”

“You know...I’m used to being blamed for my own failures...but if I fail now...it would show badly on you too...you have no idea how anxious that makes me!” He took a deep breath before trying to continue. “I’ve wondered...if you really want to quit…”

“Of course I don’t! Yuuri, you’re my-” Yuuri didn’t hear the second part of the sentence, and continued, his sobs making it harder to speak.

“I KNOW!”

“I...don’t really know what to do when people cry in front of me...Should I kiss you…?”

“NO! Just have more faith in me than I do! You don’t have to say or do anything, just stay close to me!” He finally got out, his breathing starting to slow. 

He hadn’t broken down like that in a while, so it felt kind of good to get it off his chest. He turned away from Viktor and started up the stairs, only pausing once to check that he was following. As they came into a place with more people, Viktor gently placed his hand on his shoulder, and even though Yuuri had shouted at him, he felt the gesture as comforting. Despite this, they still wouldn’t look at each other, as he shrugged off his warm up jacket and took off his guards. He didn’t have any idea what the others had scored, and that was probably a good thing.

Once he was on the other side of the barrier, Viktor offered him a tissue which Yuuri took gratefully. Skating was hard enough on it’s own without a runny nose. The Russian looked like he regretted his choice of words earlier as the Skater blew his nose. He held his hand out for the tissue, and suddenly Yuuri could clearly tell that he really regretted them. He didn’t want to skate off and leave him feeling like that, so he shifted his hand slightly and let the tissue fall. As expected, Viktor almost jumped over the barrier to grab it, and while his head was down Yuuri patted him gently, in the same spot he had done that first time. With that, he skated away and left Viktor to ponder the meaning of the gesture. 

As the music started, he realised that he felt a lot better after crying. His entire body felt lighter for it and he didn’t even feel as nervous. Though he wouldn’t deny that Viktor’s shocked expression had been something photo worthy, and he almost wished he had taken a picture of it, if only to show Phichit later. He suddenly found himself smiling as he went through the first few steps of the program, which wasn’t something that happened often. Crying before a match was something new to him, the tears usually waited until after he’d performed to show up, but he wasn’t complaining. It was better to get them out of the way, Yuuri supposed. 

His first jump was the quad and double Toe Loop combo, which he pulled off with ease. He was surprised at how relaxed he felt, and maybe it was the constant bombardment of thought about how much of an idiot Viktor could be. He loved him, but he could be really dense when it came to other people. Yuuri found himself wondering if that was down to how much effort he’d put into skating. However, he really didn’t think Viktor was that stupid, the Russian knew how fragile Yuuri’s mind was, so why had he thought saying something like that was a brilliant idea?!

He nailed all aspects of the quad Salchow for the second time in the competition, and he could feel his heart starting to race the way it always did when things went right. His triple Loop went as well as expected too, and he wondered if this Free Skate would go as well as his Short Program did? That would have been a miracle. He was coming up to the triple Axel, when his mind suddenly went blank. He didn’t even realised his hand had touched the ice until he heard the announcer say it out loud. Well there went the perfect Free Skate idea. It could have gone worse though, he could have actually fallen over. Then came the triple Flip, which went as well as normal.

Yuuri started wondering what Viktor’s reaction would be if he turned the final quad into a Flip rather than a Toe Loop. He was always going on about surprising him and the audience, so that would definitely give him a shock. 

Next came a combination, a triple Axel, then a single Loop, finishing off with a triple Salchow. The first two went fine, but he cringed a little when he over-rotated on the Salchow. It wasn’t that bad though, he hadn’t fallen so he could still keep going. Could he really to a quad Flip though? He’d left it out when he copied Viktor’s last Free Program but...maybe…

He felt like his body was holding up well considering the lack of sleep, and the next combination went even better than the last one. He went into the step sequence, and that was when he decided he could do it. Even if he didn’t land it, even attempting it would go way past Viktor’s expectations of him, and that’s exactly what he wanted to do.

The announcer told the audience that he had planned a quad Toe Loop for his final jump, and he couldn’t help but smirk a little as he went into the Flip. He knew he wouldn’t land it, not with the lack of experience he had with performing it, but the minute his ass hit the ice Yuuri immediately bounced back up and finished the program. One hand on his heart, the other outstretched to Viktor.

The entire arena sounded like it was going insane with the amount of cheering from around him. He kept his eyes on Viktor, and saw that he had his hands over his face as if he were...crying? He saw the Russian start to run round to where he could get off the ice, and Yuuri started skating towards him, smiling brightly.

“Viktor! I did great right!?” He yelled over the noise.

Viktor didn’t say anything, he only smiled and stepped out onto the ice just as Yuuri was in arm’s reach of him. The Japanese man didn’t even know what was happening, until he felt Viktor lips smash into his own. Viktor was...kissing him?! Viktor was kissing him! The flying Russian’s momentum ended up sending them both down onto the ice, Viktor shielding Yuuri’s head with his arms. Had that really just happened?!

“This...was the only thing I could think of to surprise you, more than you’ve surprised me.”

The two stared at each other for a few seconds, and Yuuri saw that millisecond flash of blue he’d become so attached to. He felt his heart racing, Viktor had just kissed him, in front of so many people, on live TV! Despite this...Yuuri couldn’t bring himself to mind. He couldn’t bring himself to speak either, so he smiled up at his coach.

“Really?” Was the only thing he managed to get out. 

Viktor chuckled and pulled Yuuri into a tight hug. He remembered what Viktor had said last night, about him wanting a relationship between them to work even if they weren’t Soulmates, and despite initially straight up rejecting the idea...he wasn’t as opposed to it now.

In the end, Phichit won his first gold medal, and Yuuri couldn’t have been more proud of his best friend. He’d placed second, winning silver, and Chris came third. When he’d received his medal, the weight of it against his chest setting his heart fluttering...or was it the impending talk with Viktor once they got back. He vaguely listened to the conversation the Russian was having with the reporters, something about the quad Flip being added to both programs. 

As they left the rink, Phichit grabbed him and pulled him aside, promising Viktor he’d only have his Skater for for a couple of minutes. Oh great, not only did Viktor want to talk to him, now Phichit was gonna lecture him too.

“So?” Was the only thing he said.

“So? So what?”

“So! You and Viktor kissed! Are you dating!? Are you Soulmates?! When you get back to your hotel room are you gonna-”

“Stop! Right there! Yes we kissed. No we’re not dating. No we’re not Soulmates. And NO...definitely not.” He sighed.

“You’re...not?!” Phichit seemed shocked.

“I told you. There’s no way I could be Viktor Nikiforov’s Soulmate.”

“Are…” He frowned. “You know Yuuri, there have been cases of people not finding their Soulmate until much later...because they doubt they could ever be someone’s Soulmate. They’re sad for a lot of their lives because of their self doubt. I don’t want that for you…”

“Easy for you to say...you have a Soulmate.”

“That’s not the point! I’ve always believed I could be someone’s Soulmate. Yuuri, I want you to be happy. Viktor makes you happy so...so whether he’s your Soulmate or not...take this opportunity to be happy.” 

It was odd seeing his best friend so serious, but he kind of supposed he was right. Maybe he wouldn’t be someone’s Soulmate, but if Viktor was serious about him...He shook his head, deciding not to think about until Viktor brought it up anyway. Phichit pulled him into a tight hug and Yuuri sighed as he hugged back, until the Thai boy’s phone started to ring.

“Ah, I’d better get this. Remember what I said though, right?”

“I will.”

“Good! I hope I see you at the final!” He turned and answered his phone. “Oh hey Gil! Did you see!?” 

Yuuri smiled softly at his friend, before going to find Viktor. 

***

The minute Yuuri and Viktor got back to the hotel room they were sharing, the Japanese man excused himself to go and shower. He knew Viktor wanted to talk about their kiss but he just wasn’t ready to face that yet. He shut the door behind him, turned on the water and got undressed, before stepping into the shower. 

He let the warm water and flow down his body, relaxing his muscles as well as his mind. Even if they weren’t Soulmates...could he and Viktor make it work? Yuuri pressed his forehead against the tiles and thought about it. He thought about it until his head hurt and he realised that he did want it. He wanted it more than he wanted any medal. He looked up as someone, probably Viktor, knocked on the door.

“Yuuri? You ok in there?”

“Yeah! Sorry, I’ll be out soon.”

There was a brief pause before the Russian spoke again.

“Can I join you?”

“Huh!?”

“Can I join you? To shower.”

“Uh...I guess.”

He kept his eyes on the wall as he heard Viktor come in and get undressed. Was he really going to share a shower with Viktor? The Russian slid in, and for a while they stood under the water in silence, Yuuri trying to sense what Viktor was thinking. Eventually he spoke. 

“Yuuri...about today…”

“What do you want Viktor? From me, I mean.”

“I want to be yours. I...love you.” He whispered.

Yuuri’s breath hitched as the Russian wrapped his arms around his middle. Viktor loved him, and now he didn’t have any doubt about it. He wasn’t drunk, he wasn’t just saying it to soothe Yuuri’s insecurity. He said it. He loved him. 

“Yuuri…”

“I don’t really understand...your feelings towards me...but...god Viktor I’ve always loved you.”

“Really?”

“My whole life I’ve looked up to you, you’ve always seemed so out of reach. I loved you...I dreamed about being your Soulmate…”

“Yuuri…” He squeezed gently. “It doesn’t matter about Soulmates. I love you. I love you for you, because of who you are. I don’t care if we’re Soulmates or not. Because I want you...regardless.”

Yuuri turned to look at him, and was shocked to see how genuine he looked. He knew no one had ever seen this side of Viktor before, no one had ever seen him looking so vulnerable. Apart from him. He gently held the Russian’s face, and he was almost willing the blue to come, to spread through his world...but it didn’t. He knew Viktor could see the disappointment in his eyes, so he ran the pad of his thumb across the younger man’s lip.

“Yuuri…?”

“Hm?”

“May I kiss you?”

The fact that he had asked this time made Yuuri chuckle, but he parted his lips and met him halfway. This kiss was slower than their first, more like they were cherishing the feeling, rather than kissing compulsively. Viktor rested his hands on Yuuri’s hips, drawing slow circles on them with his thumbs. Soon, it started to get more heated, and Yuuri felt like his mind had gone completely blank, apart from Viktor. The way Viktor held him, the way Viktor’s lips felt against his own...the way Viktor lifted him up! He gasped as Viktor held onto the back of his thighs and started to lift him, and in order to stop himself from slipping Yuuri wrapped his legs around the Russian’s waist as he pushed him back against the wall. 

“What are you doing~?” He whispered, blushing furiously. 

“I love you Yuuri, I love you so so much it hurts.”

“How long?”

“Mmm~” He blushed as Yuuri leant down to kiss his neck. “Since...since that night after the Grand Prix banquet last year...You...looked so gorgeous...I wanted to know you better...I was distraught after you ran...Yakov and Yurio were always annoyed...cause I couldn’t focus...Then I saw you skating my Free Program...And I...I knew I had to...Yuuri!”

In a surge of confidence, Yuuri bit down gently on Viktor’s neck, cutting off the Russian’s train of thought. He could feel his dick getting harder, and that was fine, but what made him blush was the sensation of Viktor’s length hardening against his thigh. His mind was racing with dirty thoughts that...he probably shouldn’t have been having about his coach but...despite being a 23-year-old virgin, it was something he wanted.

“Yuuri~ you have no idea what you do to me, Detka~”

“No. Why don’t you show me~?” 

Viktor looked at him, obviously trying to see if Yuuri was too anxious to actually go through with it but...Yuuri had never been more sure about anything. 

“Are you implying, what I think you are?”

“You tell me.”

“Oooh~ Yuuri~ Maybe we should get out of the shower Dorogoy?” Viktor was practically purring. 

The Japanese man nodded, and carefully stood back on his own feet, as Viktor turned off the shower, he quickly dried himself off, before turning back. He hadn’t realised how...well endowed Viktor was before now, and he even found himself wondering if he would actually fit all of it inside him. Wait...had he really just thought that?! He went into the bedroom, heart racing. Was...Viktor going to…? He felt the Russian press his chest into his back, and his lips against his neck, God his entire body felt so warm.

“Are you sure you want to do this Yuuri?” He asked, gently taking the Japanese man’s hand in his own.

“Yes. I mean...I’m a virgin so…”

“Wait really?!” 

“Of course I am! I always dreamed about my first time being with you, but I never...I never imagined it actually happen.” He groaned. “Ugh! What I mean is...be gentle with me...cause I’ve never done this before.” 

“Of course Detka. You know it may hurt a little, but I’ll try to make it as painless as possible.”

Yuuri turned to Viktor, and saw the love in those grey eyes. Saw the love that was meant only for him. They fell into another kiss, and it didn’t take long before Viktor started lapping at Yuuri’s lips with his tongue, and the younger man had to repress the urge to giggle at the sensation. He opened his mouth and it was almost as if their tongues dancing, as Viktor pushed him gently onto the bed. 

“Are you certain you want to do this?”

“Viktor, I swear, if you ask me that one more time, I will change my mind and you can sleep in the bathroom.”

The Russian laughed and captured Yuuri’s lips with his own. It was deep and almost frantic, as if they were making up for all the time they’d spent in love with each other and not acting on it. Yuuri gasped and whined quietly, as Viktor’s lips vanished from his and started making their way down his body. He groaned with pleasure as Viktor’s tongue played with his nipple, licking it until it was hard. He wondered how Viktor was so good at it, but then he wouldn’t have been surprised if Viktor had done this before. He watched carefully as Viktor pressed his face into his stomach, and it was only then that he realised what the Russian wanted to do. Yuuri wanted that too just...not right now. Right now, he wanted to do something for Viktor. Almost a thank you for getting him this far. He stopped the older man’s downward journey by grabbing his hair and tugging on it gently, forcing him to look up.

“Yuuri?”

“I want...Um…” He mumbled.

“To do this to me?”

Yuuri nodded, and Viktor gave him a warm smile before flipping them over. He was really going to do this, he was really going to suck Viktor’s dick! He looked at it carefully, before licking up the length, right to the tip. The look Viktor gave him in that moment gave Yuuri the confidence to continue with this. He licked up him a few more times, precum already beading on the tip. With a look that screamed innocence, despite the dirty situation.

“Ooh Detka~ you look so good with your mouth on my cock~” Viktor’s voice was almost strained.

Yuuri paused and thought about what he’d said. Viktor wanted to see how good he could look huh?The Japanese man wasn’t entirely sure if he’d be able to manage it or not, but he thought of how he could surprise his new lover. With a deep breath through his nose, Yuri swallowed most of Viktor’s length into his mouth.

“Ah! Oh fuck! Yuuri! You like my cock in your mouth huh?” The words tumbled out of his mouth, as if he couldn’t stop them.

The words sent shocks of arousal straight to Yuuri’s own dick, which continued to throb the longer it was left alone. He choked a little as Viktor gripped his hair this time and pulled, and Viktor sent him an apologetic look as he loosened his grip. The Japanese man breathed through his nose as he sucked off his coach, still feeling a little shocked that he was actually doing it. 

“Yu-Yuuri! I’m so close! Aaah! Fu-fuck!” 

Before Viktor could get the release he craved, Yuuri pulled off his cock and wiped his mouth of precum and saliva. Normally, that would have been a little gross, but Viktor seemed to love it.

“No~ You’re not allowed to cum until you’re inside me.” He told him.

Viktor blinked at him, and Yuuri suddenly worried that he’d said something wrong, until the Russian pressed their lips together in an almost painful kiss. He wondered what Viktor was thinking, seeing as he could probably taste himself on Yuuri’s lips. The Russian broke the kiss and once again checked the younger man’s eyes for any sign of hesitation. 

“Do you need me to explain anything to you dorogoy?” He asked as they shifted so Viktor was on top again.

“N-no. Just...tell me what you're doing and I'll be fine.” Yuuri was sure that if he could see colour, Viktor’s cheeks would have been bright red.

“I don’t...hmm...Yuuri you did happen to pack any lube.”

“Did I…” He burst out laughing. “Sorry Viktor, I didn’t intend to be having sex for the first time when I packed my suitcase.”

“Is that so~” The Russian chuckled, pressing his lips to his lover’s stomach. “Well we’ll just have to improvise then won’t we, Detka~? Open.” 

He wasn’t sure what Viktor meant until he pressed three fingers to his lips. In retrospect that made sense, seeing as they didn’t have anything else, but it didn’t stop him being a tiny bit shocked. Still, he opened his mouth and allowed Viktor to slide all three fingers in. It wasn’t as big a stretch as his dick had been, but he could still feel the strain on his jaw. 

“Get them nice and wet for me love. Just like you did with my cock earlier~” Viktor purred.

With a look that could only be described as filthy, Yuuri started to lick and suck on the three digits, coating them in his saliva. Viktor looked as if he was losing his mind above him, like he wanted nothing more than to just be inside Yuuri, and Yuuri didn’t mind that at all. When Viktor’s fingers were sufficiently wet, he bent down to whisper in his ear.

“On your stomach or on your back?”

“U-um...which ever’s easier I guess?”

“Mmm~ stomach it is then.”

Yuuri felt like he was flying for a minute as Viktor gently guided him so his ass was in the air. He squeaked quietly as he felt the Russian squeeze his ass gently, pressing butterfly kisses on each cheek.

“Viktor~!” He whined, a little embarrassed. 

“I’m sorry Yuuri~ but I just had to admire you for a minute! I’ve always thought that you had one of the most gorgeous asses out of all the skaters!” He punctuated the thought by biting the soft skin gently.

The skater cried out as the Russian ran his tongue wetly between his cheeks. It felt so strange to be doing this with anyone, let alone Viktor Nikiforov, but at the same time he didn’t think there was anyone he trusted more to do this. There was a brief pause, before Yuuri had to bite down hard on the pillow beneath him. Viktor had just gently guided one of his fingers into him.

“Are you ok love? Is it too much?”

“Viktor!” He managed to spit out, unintentionally pressing his body back onto his finger.

He heard the Russian chuckle as he gently moved the finger; Yuuri didn’t really get what he was doing, until he felt a shock of pleasure rip through his entire body. He whined into the pillow, only to whine again as Viktor added a second finger alongside the first.

“Is this still ok Yuuri?”

Yuuri was surprised to find he couldn’t form coherent sentences anymore, he did however manage to nod frantically. When Viktor started to move his fingers again, the Japanese man was hit several sensations one after the other. The first was pain as the Russian gently stretched the muscles, then there came extreme pleasure as the fingers brushed against a certain spot. What the hell was that?!

“Viktor?! What…?! What was…!?” He gasped.  
“Oh I found it then~?” Viktor chuckled without answering.

“Viktor~! Tell me~!”

“Yuuri, Yuuri, Yuuri~! My sweet innocent Yuuri. That was your prostate, and if you hit it right then it can be very pleasurable~” He explained.

“O-oh!” He gasped as Viktor pressed on the spot again. 

“Also...do you want to use protection?”

“Huh?” 

“Condoms Yuuri?”

“Uh...uh yes!”

“Alright.” He heard him smile. “Do you think you’re ready now love?”

Yuuri nodded, though if he was honest he wasn’t entirely sure. He felt like he was, so he trusted Viktor. There was an odd empty feeling as the Russian’s fingers left him, and he took the moment to get his breath back, fingers clenching and opening on the sheets. It wasn’t long before he heard the sound of a packet being opened, and felt the end of Viktor’s dick pushing into him, and even though his fingers had loosened him up significantly, the stretch was certainly something. He took deep breaths, his entire body as the Russian pushed further and further into him.

“Viktor!” He cried into the pillow.

“Almost there, love. You need to relax for me.” 

Yuuri tried hard to relax, and he sighed as Viktor stopped moving. If he thought having the Russian’s fingers inside him was strange, then having his dick in him was even stranger. He felt...full, he guessed that was the best way to describe it. 

“Are you ok Detka? Do you want to stop?”

“Viktor?” He whispered.

“Da?”

“Move!” He groaned.

The quiet chuckle that slipped out from Viktor went straight to Yuuri’s dick pushing him closer and closer to the edge, and he wanted...almost needed to fall from it. When Viktor began to move his hips gently, Yuuri’s mind just went blank, apart from the extreme pleasure that was coursing through his body. He gripped the bed sheets below him, and tried hard to stifle his moans in the pillow, but Viktor had made that extremely difficult by wrapping one arm round his body to start stroking his length.

“You’re so good Detka~! Taking me so well, and on your first time too~!”

“Viktor! Viktor I’m so close! Please! I need to-”

“To-together ok Yuuri~?”

Yuuri gripped the sheets tighter as Viktor started to move harder, the Japanese man wasn’t sure how but his coach was managing to hit his prostate with every thrust. It was driving him mad. He got closer and closer to the release he craved, the only word he could properly form now was the other man’s name, and he was practically screaming as he finally came into Viktor’s hand. With a couple more thrusts, Viktor followed, and Yuuri suddenly found himself wishing they hadn’t used a condom. What would that have felt like?

***

After Viktor had cleaned them both up, they both slid into bed, the same bed, and tried to go to sleep. However, they were both too full on adrenaline to actually succeed. Yuuri was resting his head on Viktor’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, thinking. What were they now? They’d kissed, they’d had sex, so…?

“Yuuri~? What are you thinking?” The Russian asked, running his fingers through the black hair.

“How did you know?” He chuckled.

“I can practically hear the cogs in your brain turning.” He laughed softly. “So, you wanna talk?”

“Just…” Yuuri sighed. “What are we Viktor? You know...you know I love you...so…”

“Yuuri. What do you want me to be to you?” He asked, echoing his own words from that day at the beach.

“I...want you to be...my Soulmate but...if not that then...lovers.” He smiled.

“Hmm.” Viktor seemed to think hard about it. “We could be Soulmates you know. But if you want to be lovers then that’s fine with me.” 

Yuuri bit his lip and cuddled him close, smiling when he felt the older man squeeze back. Viktor loved him...Viktor had loved him for a while. Not as long as he’d loved Viktor but...still. Phichit was gonna have a field day when he found out about this.


	8. Disaster at the Rostelecom Cup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viktor takes Yuuri to Russia for the Rostelecom cup, however things don't stay as happy as they start, and soon Viktor is forced to leave his lover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Great to be back uploading this! I would have loved to get chapters 8 and 9 out the weeks they were meant to, however they weren't ready, and I wasn't happy with 8! But yes, they are ready now!

The day Yuuri and Vitor got back from China, he was pretty sure his entire family had come to this party to congratulate him. Not only on his Silver medal, but on his relationship with Viktor. They were all glad to meet the man who captured their little Yuuri’s heart, even though they weren’t Soulmates they were still happy for him, which made Yuuri happier than he’d ever been. He spent most of his first evening back in Hasetsu sitting in Viktor’s lap, partly because there was very little floor space to it on, partly because Viktor kept him there. 

It was nice, to have Viktor’s attention like this, not on the ice, not thinking about skating. Just Viktor, cuddling him. By the time it was just his parents, Mari and Viktor left, Viktor was more than a little intoxicated, and was presently pressing wet kisses to his neck. 

“Aah...you might wanna get Viktor to bed now.” Mari chuckled.

“Yeah...that’s a good idea actually. Come on Viktor, let’s go.”

He managed to hoist Viktor off the floor and up the stairs with relative ease; despite the fact that he had the muscles of champion athlete, though Yuuri didn’t put that down to the fact that he too had physical strength. By the time they got to bed, the Japanese man was struggling to keep his lover off of him.

“Yuuuriiii~!” Viktor whined.

“Viktor you need sleep, we have practice tomorrow.” 

“Yuri~ You can call me Vitya you know~”

Before he could say anything, Viktor pulled him into a messy kiss, that was far from the soft romantic ones they’d shared on the journey here. Viktor almost totally missed his lips, and Yuuri struggled not to laugh at his coach’s actions. He eventually pulled away, and pressed a gentle kiss to Viktor’s forehead before trying to leave. He got three steps from the bed, before Viktor grabbed his wrist. When Yuuri turned he looked...almost sad.

“Viktor?”

“....Don’t go…”

“What?”

“Stay with me. Please?” He whispered.

Yuuri sighed quietly, before pulling off his shirt and sliding in beside Viktor. He’d refused time after time to sleep with the Russian, and yet now he found he couldn’t. He felt Viktor curl up around him, almost possessively and it felt...nice, nice to know that someone, that Viktor loved him. 

***

After that, the two of them ended up sleeping together every night. Sometimes they had sex like after the Cup of China, it really depended on how hard they’d been practising that day. But for Yuuri, it was enough to just share a bed with him, to know that Viktor was his. More often than not though, they both collapsed into bed straight after dinner; their bodies and minds exhausted from training. 

The skater was still struggling with the quad Flip, and there were days where he felt like he’d never get the hang of it. On those days, however, Viktor was always ready to encourage him, to help him see that this jump wasn’t something he could learn over night. There also days when Yuuri would get it, he’d land it, and yes those days were few and far between, but when they came the skater’s heart would fill with pride, and Viktor would reward him with kisses. The Russian would often try and seduce his lover whilst at Ice Castle, but Yuuri was luckily able to fend off these advances...most of the time. 

By the time they were meant to fly out to Moscow, Yuuri watched with a sort of sadness as Viktor said goodbye to Makkachin again, with another warning not to eat the steamed buns. The fact that this wasn’t the first time he’d seen this, made Yuuri wonder whether there had been an incident with steamed buns in the dog’s past. The idea made him chuckle, but soon they were in the taxi, to skate in the Rostelecom Cup.

***

The two of them were more than a little shocked to find the airport terminal strangely empty of reporters. He spotted a couple of skaters, like Emil Nekola from the Cezch Republic and Seung-Gil Lee from South Korea, Phichit’s Soulmate. Yuuri found himself looking around for Yurio, he remembered reading that they’d be competing in the tournament, but he must have arrived earlier. When they got to the hotel...they were not so lucky to avoid reporters. Yuuri managed to slip away from them quickly, but seeing as Viktor was returning to his home country as a coach rather than a skater, they were more than a little eager to talk to him. Yuuri decided that Viktor could just meet him in the room, and he began to feel a little uneasy. Unlike Cup of China, he was only properly familiar with one person, Yurio, and he was 99% sure the teen wouldn’t want to talk to him. 

As he waited for the elevator to arrive, Seung-Gil ended up waiting beside him. The Japanese man didn’t really know what to say, they had never spoken a word to each other despite both knowing a certain Thai boy very well, so Yuuri felt a little awkward just standing with him. As it happened, Seung-Gil broke the silence first.

“How was Phichit when you last saw him?” He asked quietly.

“Eh? Haven’t you spoken to him yourself?”

“Not recently. Both too wrapped up in practise.”

“I see. He’s doing well, you watched him at the Cup of China right.”

“Of course. He’s my Soulmate, nothing in the world would have made me miss it.” 

And with that, they fell back into silence. Yuuri hadn’t anticipated they’d speak, so even getting as short a conversation as that out of the Korean skater was more than enough to satisfy his need, or lack thereof, for talking. Luckily, they didn’t have to wait much longer for the lift to arrive, but before they stepped in, the doors opened on three familiar faces arguing. 

“If you think you’re my little sister’s Soulmate, you’re gonna have to fight me Nekola!” 

“Sorry, sorry!” 

“Mickey! We’re just going out for food! Nothing about Soulmates!”

“Sara’s leagues about any other woman, idiot!”

Yuuri watched as the older Crispino sibling, Michele, and Emil had what seemed like a very one sided screaming match over the younger, Sara. The Japanese man knew the Italian siblings were extremely close, but he definitely did not want to be on the receiving end of Michele’s rants if he so much as looked at Sara. Unfortunately, the woman seemed to decided that yes, she was going to try and drag Yuuri into this conversation.

“Yuuri! Hi!” She sang. 

Thankfully, she immediately turned away to try and get Seung-Gil to join her and Emil, so Yuuri took the opportunity to slide into the other elevator. As nice as it would have been, he wasn’t really feeling like interacting at the minute. He just wanted to sleep before tomorrow. As the door closed, a foot stopped it before it could get all the way, and Yuuri looked up to find that foot connected to...Yurio. Oh great.

“What are you sneaking around for Katsudon…” The teen muttered, for some reason Yuuri noticed that his hair had grown a little. 

“Yurio...Good to see you again?” He tried to sound a little convincing.

They travelled up in total silence, and it was almost as bad as when he’d been with Seung-Gil. He could tell Yurio didn’t want to talk to him, and if Yuuri was honest the feeling was mutual. But he decided he probably should say something to him, seeing as they’d be competing the next day.

“Uh...Good luck to us both in the Rostelecom Cup.” Was the best he could manage.

“Oh I’m sorry. I was under the assumption that you’ll suffer a miserable defeat in Moscow. I was ready to have Viktor come back grovelling and everything.” 

Yuuri wasn’t entirely sure whether the young Russian was being sarcastic or not, the way he said it made it seem like he was serious but he could never be too sure. So, he decided to stay silent. That was when a thought hit him. If Yuuri can’t place fourth or higher at this competition...then it was all over. As much as he knew Viktor loved him, he was unsure what the Russian would do if he failed here in the next few days. Would he stay...or would he go back on what he said.

***

The room they’d be staying was amazing, nothing to the room he woke up in after the Grand Prix banquet last year, but it was still gorgeous compared to the ones prior to Viktor. He immediately stripped down to his underwear and threw himself onto one of the single beds. Obviously Viktor had pre-booked the rooms before they’d started sleeping together, and the idea of not having his coach and lover beside him on top of what Yurio had said to him pushed him over the edge. He suddenly found that he couldn’t breathe, the idea of failing this competition squeezing his lungs hard. 

“Yuyu?” 

Yuuri looked up at the unexpected nickname, and saw that Viktor had just come through the door, and was looking at him with a concerned expression that didn’t really suit him. He tried to tell Viktor he was ok, but his voice was caught in his throat. The Russian seemed to understand, learning from his mistake on how to deal with Yuuri, and immediately dropped his coat to come and sit by him. Soon, a warm hand was rubbing up and down his back, and the hands on his lungs seemed to ease off, albeit slowly. 

“What’s wrong moya lyubov?” He asked, keeping his voice low and soft.

“I just...started over thinking is all.” 

“You spoke to Yurio didn’t you…” Viktor always seemed to know.

“More like he spoke to me. He seemed to think that I was going to fail...and that you’re going to stay in Russia…” He was speaking more to the pillow than to his lover.

“Well he assumed wrong, because even if something does go wrong tomorrow, or during the Free Skate, I’m not leaving you.”

Yuuri looked back at him, eyes glistening the threat of tears.

“You’re not.”

“Couldn’t if I tried Detka.”

Yuuri let out a choked, wet laugh, and pulled Viktor into a tight hug. This was what Yuuri meant when he skated, his and Viktor’s love was more than just a sexual or romantic thing. It was the little things he did, learning about how to handle Yuuri at his worst, learning what to say at certain moments. Viktor truly loved him, and the more he saw it, the more it seemed like they really could be Soulmates.

***

The next day, Yuuri was feeling considerably better than he had the night before, thanks to Viktor’s words of encouragement. He could feels the cameras on them but decided not to worry about them, focusing on Viktor’s words. They still weren’t entirely sure about putting the quadruple Flip in either of his programs, despite how many points it could get him, but they made the decision to see how Yuuri felt while he was skating. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s changed jumps in the middle of a program. 

After the 6 minute warm up, Yuuri went off the ice to continue them, but decided to stay in view of a tv. Seung-Gil was going first, and he was shocked to see Phichit’s normally stoic Soulmate wearing an outfit that made him look like a parrot. Yuuri had never seen him skate before, and had to kick himself into continuing to warm up several times. It looked like he and Chris were not the only ones going for sex appeal. The Japanese man was stunned when the skater fell out of a triple Axel, but he immediately got back up and finished his program without anymore issues, ending with a score of 91.83, which wasn’t bad. 

Emil was next, Yuuri was stunned to see how incredible his stamina was. He was in such a trance, coupled with his own music blaring in his ears, that he didn’t notice JJ Leroy trying to get his attention until he started clapping at him. He pulled out his music and looked over.

“O-oh...sorry. I didn’t catch that.” 

He ended up being totally cut out of the conversation, as JJ turned his attention to Viktor. Yuuri shrugged and went back to warming up, knowing that the Russian could quite easily handle talking to the loudest Canadian on the planet on his own. He turned back to the TV just in time to see Emil’s score, a relatively good 82.43.

Michele Crispino was the last person in Group one, and he was a little impressed. He didn’t know much about the Italian, only that he had a seemingly strange obsession with his sister. But he skating was decent despite his falls.

Seeing as Yuuri was up straight after him, he didn’t have time to hear what his score was, but he was sure it was decent. For some reason, Viktor had insisted that he do up the laces on Yuuri’s skates, and the Japanese decided not to question it, until it dawned on him how intimate it looked and that they were in Russia. He shook the thought from his mind as Viktor looked up at him with a reassuring smile, which he returned with a simple nod. He stepped out onto the ice and got ready to skate, waiting for Viktor to speak as he usually did. Instead, the Russian decided to wave at the crowd. Yuuri waited to get Viktor’s attention, but he didn’t seem to want to even look at him. As a skater, he would have been cool with it, but as his lover, it annoyed him more than a little. Eventually, Yuuri got tired of waiting, and grabbed his tie, pulling their foreheads close enough that they could be kissing. But the Japanese man has other ideas.

“The performance had already begun, Viktor.”

“You’re right.” He replied after a brief pause.

“Don’t worry. I’ll show my love to the whole of Russia~” Yuuri purred.

Before the Russian could say any more, he skated away, ready to begin. Yuuri felt a little embarrassed, but he couldn’t think about that now, he couldn’t let himself get intimidated by the massive Russian crowd, all of them either cheering for him, or cheering for his head on a platter for taking Viktor away.

He went through the opening movements, and out of a surge of spontaneity, blew a kiss in Viktor’s direction. He saw his coach blush, and heard the judges gasp. Well, that was certainly a good reaction. 

His movements started to blur together, as he went through his program, his thoughts allowing muscle memory to take control. If he lost at this competition, he probably wouldn’t be able to skate this program again, let alone with Viktor at his side. Alright, maybe no one in Russia...hell even the world wanted him to win this, and the thought of that sent chills up his spine. But he knew that he was the only one who could change that. 

He was coming up to the triple Axel now, and he blew through it with ease. In fact, he felt like he was blowing through the entire program. The quad Salchow went perfectly, the combination went perfectly. It almost felt like it was going too well. He could barely process it when he came to the end of the program. Now, the whole crowd was cheering and throwing things onto the ice, he’d always wondered why they did that. He ended up just picking up a stuffed piece of Sashimi, which looked surprisingly cute, but by the time he got to the gate, his path was blocked...by Yurio! Yuuri almost hadn’t recognised him.   
His hair was a little longer now and he looked almost angelic in the Agape costume, one hand on his hip, the other hanging lazily by his side. The effect was ruined a little however, when he spoke.

“Out of my way, Katsudon.”

Yuuri and Viktor watched him blow past in a blaze of glitter and blonde hair, and he could tell that the Russian was just as stunned by Yurio’s transformation than he was. He felt kind of like a proud parent, and when he looked at Viktor, it looked like he felt the same.

Viktor managed to drag him over to the kiss and cry, where they sat and waited for his score. It ended up being 109.97, which prompted Viktor to pull the skater into his arms and hugs him tightly. Then, before he could stop him, Viktor had dropped to his knees in front of him, lifting one skate and pressing his lips to it. He felt a little embarrassed but in essence it was a sweet gesture. Yuuri caught Yurio watching them before he went to skate, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Yurio! Davai!” He called, finally using the Russian he’d picked up from Viktor.

The Russian also saw his former rink mate, and ended up knocking Yuuri’s face in with his elbow to wish him good luck. As the haze cleared, he saw that the younger Russian looked less than happy to see them, as he skated off. They watched Yurio perform on one of the TV’s, and were shocked when he missed his first jump. He never missed that jump, at least he hadn’t since he was younger. Yuuri wondered if it was the pressure of the Grand Prix, but he seemed to nail the rest of his jumps. The program ended, and the boy looked like he was about to pass out, until a pair of white cat ear managed to land perfectly on his head. Yuuri watched as his score ended up coming in as 98.09, which Yuuri had still managed to somehow beat. Hot Spring on Ice was one thing, but he never imagined beating Yurio in an actual competition.

The final competitor was JJ, who he could be more interested in. Viktor seemed to notice the lack of desire to watch the Canadian, so he allowed some reporters to start interviewing him. He gave the generic answers, about how he felt he was doing, but Viktor managed to fend off questions about their kiss and their relationship. He wouldn’t deny that JJ’s music was catchy, but the skater himself was close to unbearable. 

As they started to head out of the rink, Yuuri heard his phone ringing, and moved aside to answer it. When he checked the caller ID, he was shocked to see that it was his sister calling. She rarely called him during competitions unless...He thought back to when he’d gotten the call about Vic-Chan, and his heart sank. He hoped it was just his anxiety messing him, and pressed answer.

“Mari? Is something wrong?” He mumbled.

“Sorry to bother you during an event.”

“Don’t worry about it, we just finished actually.”

“Ah...well...I don’t know how to tell you this...but Makkachin stole some Steamed Buns...they got stuck in his throat. He’s with the vet now, Mom and Dad are with him...Yuuri they’re not sure he’ll make it. Sorry to drop this on you...what do you want us to do?”

“Um...I’ll talk to Viktor and let you know ok?”

“Ok...Yuuri...are you-”

“I’m fine. Just...I’ll call you soon.” He hung up, and covered his mouth, thinking hard.

His first thought was how the hell Makka had even gotten into the Steamed Buns in the first place, but now wasn’t the time for that. In his mind, there was only one real choice. As much as he wanted Viktor to be here with him for the Free Skate, he had to go back to Japan. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and went over to his coach.

“Viktor, Mari just called and Makka got Steamed Buns stuck in his throat and he’s in trouble and they’re not sure if he’ll live and-”

“Yuuri slow down. What about Makka?” Viktor cut him off.

“Makka is dying and you need to go back to Japan! I can do the Free Skate on my own!” 

“Yuuri, dorogoy you know full well I can’t leave you here.” The Russian told him, after a pause.

“You have to!”

“I can’t!”

“Viktor if you don’t go back to Japan to be with him you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life!”

Viktor seemed to get that he was speaking from experience, and his eyes finally betrayed him. Yuuri could see how terrified he was for his dog, because before Yuuri had come into his life, that ball of fluff had been the only one who had known the true Viktor. Behind the heart shaped smile, behind the outward appearance. That dog was his life. His eyes flicked to the side, and Yuuri followed his gaze, spotting Yurio, Yakov and Lilia watching their little spat. His eyes lit up and he shot off in their direction.

“Yakov! Thank god! You’re the only coach for me!”

“What? You want to come back now?” The old man asked, smirking.

“No no no no! I have to go back to Japan so  
...could you by my Yuuri’s coach tomorrow, just for the Free Skate?”

The four of them stred at Viktor in shock, it seemed like that was the last thing any of them expected them to say. However, Yakov agreed, especially after hearing the circumstances. Yuuri figured that the old man had seen him grow up so he could understand Viktor’s emotional attachment. 

***

Yuuri helped Viktor pack his things into a random suitcase that ended up being Yuuri’s, as the Russian went through everything the skater needed to know, not only for the program, but for working with Yakov. If he was honest it didn’t sound too different from working with Viktor, just without the near constant flirting. When he was done, Viktor sat on the bed with him for a while.

“You’re going to be ok Yuuri. I promise.”

“It’s...it’s not me I’m worried about.”

“Try not to think about it too much. I’ll meet you at the airport when you come back to Japan, regardless of the result.”

“I know. Just...stay safe ok? I don’t want to end up losing both of you.” 

The Russian chuckled and kissed him gently, his hand coming up to hold his lover’s face. Yuuri knew Viktor had to go back Japan, but he was really going to miss these casual touches and kisses, even if it was only for a few days.


	9. The Colour of Your Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this didn't go up yesterday! I was super busy and I forgot! But it is here now. Even after I finished this chapter I wasn't certain on the fate of Makkachin.

Watching the Russian on a plane bound for Japan without him, was one of the saddest things he’d been forced to watch. He knew it was for the best, he knew that if Makka died and Viktor wasn’t there for him...he couldn’t let his coach go through the same despair he did. Heading back to the hotel, he knew Viktor would be watching him tomorrow, and he needed to let that be his strength. Yuuri knew it would be a struggle, but he trusted Viktor that Yakov would help him.

And help him Yakov did. In the day, he alternate between working with Yurio, then Yuuri, and he could tell that this man was how Viktor had become a Figure Skating Legend. He pushed the Japanese skater until he was almost on his knees.

“Katsuki, I want you to do the quad Flip again. If you can’t make it consistent in these few hours then don’t do it in the program.” 

“Yes sir. That was...kind of the plan.”

He tried the Flip a total of 10 times, and he managed to get it right 6 times. Unfortunately that wasn’t consistent enough for the old man. They ended up deciding not to put it in, but Yuuri wasn’t sure if he’d stick to that or not. He may have been a little scared of Yakov, but he supposed the best thing he could do was act as normally as he could...which was a little difficult with Yurio watching him for every mistake.

By the end of the day, Yuuri missed Viktor so much it hurt. Yakov was an amazing coach, but his harsh, grating accent wasn't the soft purr he was used to. The one that made him weak at the knees. He sighed quietly and he pulled off his skates, ready to head back to the hotel on his own. Yuuri was about to leave the changing room, when his phone started buzzing. He looked at it and smiled softly when he saw Phichit’s name.

“Yuuri!” He gasped. “God I've been trying to get a hold of you for half an hour!”

“Sorry sorry, it was my turn to practice.”

“Yeah no worries! But are you ok?! I heard Viktor left Russia!? Did you fall out already?”

He sighed. When Yuuri had told his Thai friend that he and Viktor had become lovers he'd begged to put it on social media. Not that he'd needed to. The minute they kissed after the Cup of China Free Skate, every Figure Skating website on the internet had blown up. He'd agreed, as Yuuri’s friend, not to answer any press questions on the subject, and the Japanese skate had appreciated greatly.

“What? No! No no no. No we're fine. He went back to Japan, Mari met him at the airport so he's ok.” Yuuri explained.

“But why would he leave you mid competition? It's not like Viktor at all!”

“He left because I told him to…”

The Thai boy looked shocked. He knew that sounded nothing like Yuuri himself? Well, why would Yuuri push the man he loved to leave him when he needed him...unless there was an emergency.

“But...why?”

“His dog...he um...got something caught in his throat…”

“Oh shit...is he ok!?”

“Viktor or the dog?” He laughed drily. “Honestly, I don't know either way. I'm too busy to be on my phone, and Viktor knows that. I probably won't know until I get back…”

“God Yuuri! Are you ok?”

“I'm ok. Yakov agreed to coach me just for the Free Skate so it's not too bad. He's hard, but more so on Yurio than on me.” 

“Yuuri...I meant are you ok in yourself, not skating.”

Yuuri’s breath caught in his throat. Of course Phichit knew. When they'd been roommates in Detroit the Thai boy had talked him down from many panic attacks, and he'd come to know certain signs when the Japanese man was and wasn't being entirely truthful. If he was honest, Yuuri was grateful for that. It made sure he was talking to someone about his problems.

“I'm...managing, I guess? It hurts...god it hurts without him but...I know he wouldn't want me to let it affect my skating.” He sighed deeply.

“You're right. Viktor adores you, but I'm sure he wouldn't hesitate to kick that sweet little ass all the way to America if you let him not being there change the way you skate!”

“Phichit…” Yuuri sighed as his Thai friend laughed.

“In all seriousness though, be careful tomorrow yeah? Everyone knows Viktor’s gone back to Japan so it's gonna be all eyes on you. I know you can do it, Viktor know you can do it. So you need to know you can do it.”

 

“Yes, mother.” Yuuri rolled his eyes.

“Hey, if you're not gonna look after yourself someone has to! Now, go get some sleep! Are you still at the rink?!”

“Well someone held me up by calling me.”

The Thai boy laughed then hung up, leaving Yuuri alone with his thoughts. His friend was right, Viktor would probably be more depressed than himself if he lost because the Russian wasn't there. The idea of skating without his lover terrified him, to the point that he could almost feel the anxiety clawing it's way up his throat already. He took a deep breath, and reminded himself that this wasn't like last time. Viktor would be supporting him, even if he wasn't physically there. 

“I can...I can do this.” He whispered to himself before leaving the rink.

***

On the day of the competition, Yuuri’s head felt like it was going to explode. He still hadn't heard anything from Viktor so he was trying not to assume the worst. But with his personality that was proving a little difficult. The public warm ups hadn't gone badly, but he couldn't tell at all what Yakov was thinking. Yurio on the other had was like an open book. The Japanese skater could tell the teen was doubting him from the get go. Moruka had caught him before the warm up and asking how he was feeling about the Free Skate, and Yuuri lied through his teeth as he assured the reporter that he'd skate as well as he always did.

After the 6 minute warm ups Yuuri got off the ice and went to do some more stretches. He was set to go second to last, which gave him an annoying amount of time to stand around. He watched Emil go first, and was astounded by the number of quads he performed successfully, it really fit his theme of ceasing to be human. He did great until the end, but it was easy to see that exhaustion was setting in. Still, he ended up scoring 271.58 overall, which wasn't too bad despite his mistakes.

Michele Crispino went next, and even Yuuri, who wasn't paying the best attention, could tell that something was wrong. But it didn't affect his skating. If anything it seemed to have made it better; making him lose that stiffness, and giving him a total score of 282.89.

Yuuri had moved to the side of the ice by the time Seung-Gil was going, and even he seemed out of sorts. The Korean made more mistakes than normal, and it came across in his expression that he wasn't happy with it. Out of the corner of his eyes, Yuuri saw Yurio get ready for his turn, and realised he'd never seen the Russian’s Free Skate costume. He turned back just in time to see Seung-Gil’s score 256.2, and he immediately knew Phichit would be sending him messages to try and cheer his Soulmate up. As he passed him, Yuuri noticed that the usually stoic Korean was...crying? It was an odd sight, seeing him look so visibly distraught.

The skater’s attention was dragged away as he heard Yurio’s music begin. He knew this piece was usually done among older skaters, due to it's intensity, who had built up their strength and stamina. Yuuri wondered if the boy would be ok; if his body would hold up. His step sequence was even worse than the ones Yuuri himself usually did, not even allowing him to pause for breath before moving onto the next section, but he looked angelic. He nailed jump after jump with such aggression that was Yurio through and through, yet he wasn't slowing down. Upon ending the program, Yurio collapsed to his knees, and for a second Yuuri was worried he'd passed out, but he was just gasping for breath, which wasn't surprising. By the time Yuuri was up and ready to go, the teen’s overall score had come in as 297.96, which wasn't the most surprising thing the Japanese had seen all day.

As Yuuri waited for his music to start, he could feel his eyes burning and his vision blurring. He knew he couldn't cry right now, he needed to wait until he got away from the cameras. The music started, and he followed, his body moving fluidly to the familiar music. He couldn't let the world think everything Viktor has done for him was a waste of the Russian’s time, he needed to prove now that he could perform just as well without his lover’s presence. He needed to win, because losing would mean the end of everything. 

Still, the stress got to him, and he second jump of his combination turned into a single. He cursed inwardly, but continued. He needed to calm down, and fast; if he didn't, things would go downhill for him very fast. His entire body was buzzing...or was that just his heart? 

He thought of Viktor, being there waiting for him on the side of the ice, and everything seemed to slow. Before the Russian exploded into his life, he never went around claiming to be as good as he was. Viktor changed everything, he seemed to always know his feelings after such a short amount of time. Viktor...was and is the reason he was skating that day.

He almost fell out of another jump, but it had enough rotations so he knew he was ok for now. Off to the side he could have sworn he heard someone screaming at him. Was that Yurio? No, it couldn't have been. 

As he went into a spin, he sighed deeply. Honestly, he'd wanted to win gold at all of his competitions...but he'd only made it so far this time because of his lover’s belief in him. If he doesn't make it now...what happens? He knew he'd thought about it a lot, despite his best intentions not to, but it was an honest and serious question. He tried to shake it out of his mind, just as another scream hit him from across the rink. This time he was sure it was the younger Russian, but why was he screaming at him? 

Yuuri thought back to how wiped out Yurio had seemed after his last combination of jumps, and couldn't help but think of how stupid it was to risk pushing his body so far, especially as he had nothing in the way of stamina compared to his older, Japanese counterpart. 

As he continued through his program, pictures of Viktor’s various over the top expressions flashed through his mind, and they almost calmed him. Viktor may not be there personally, but he was always in his heart and mind, as a coach and a significant other, but he still struggled to keep it together. He needed to keep it simple in the end, this was his program, describing him as a person, so it wouldn't be shocking to people if he did that...would it?

The combination afterwards went fine, landing and going into each jump perfectly. Then both the triple Lutz and Toe Loop went fine too, and he started to thinking he could maybe bring this back. Maybe he could make Viktor proud today. Yuuri suddenly found himself missing him again, so much that his heart ached in his chest, or maybe that was just the exhaustion. But he wasn't finished, he wanted the Gold medal and he wanted it with Viktor by his side.

He kept the last jump as a combination, but almost fell out of the final jump. He knew it could have gone better, he knew that others knew it too, but it was over now, he'd done everything he could. All that was left to do was to wait. He'd pushed himself so hard, so it couldn't have been that bad right?

As he sat in the Kiss and Cry with Yakov, a strange enough sensation on it's own, he gulped down some water and tried to slow down all of his sense. 

“Hey.” The old man growled. “Vitya designed that program specifically for you. So I wonder why you didn't take advantage of it…”

Yuuri ended up tuning him out as he continued to scold him, and he suddenly realised where Viktor learned to lecture him at the Kiss and Cry. In the end, Yakov got cut off as the Skater’s score was announced. 282.84, which wasn't bad...he was in third place for now. Maybe JJ would mess up so badly he'd end up below him.

“I'm impressed. That's a higher score than I thought.” Yakov mumbled.

Yuuri hummed quietly. Viktor had told him that if he ever needed something then to just hug Yakov...He didn't know how the old man would react, but there was no harm in trying.

“What's wrong?” He asked.

Before any more could be said, Yuuri wrapped his arms around the Coach and pushed his face into his shoulder. It was strange hugging someone who wasn't Viktor, but it did comfort him a little.

“Spasiba…” He whispered.

As they left, Yuuri started to think again. JJ was a talented skater, so he knew there was very little chance of him messing up as badly as he needed him to. Which meant...Viktor would probably end up going back to Russia. And as expected, JJ nailed all of his jumps and completed his program perfectly, meaning he'd come first. Yurio came second and Michele came third meaning…

“If you combine both competition scores, Katsuki and Crispino are tied.” A random voice floated over, cutting Yuuri’s anxiety short.

If that was true, he and Michele were tied. But Yuuri came second in Cup of China...which meant he'd barely made it into the final. He'd some how done it! He sighed, half with relief, half with concern. Would Michele hate him now, for taking his spot? But they'd both worked hard, so he supposed either of them deserved it.

With the Rostelecom cup over, all of the qualifying competitions were over as well. Which meant that the final 6 consisted of Christoph Giacometti of Switzerland, Otabek Altin of Kazakhastan, Phichit Chilanont of Thailand, Jean-Jaques Leroy of Canada, Yuri Plisteky of Russia, and him. Yuuri Katsuki of Japan. He couldn't quite believe he'd made it. 

“Yuuri!” His thoughts were cut short as Sara came up to him. “Congrats on qualifying! I knew you would make it to the final!” 

Yuuri smiled softly, but couldn't help but see the outraged expression on her brother's face. Well he'd expected that. Without putting much thought into his actions, he pulled the Italian girl into a tight hug which she'd returned happily. When Michele protested he looked up, and quickly wrapped his arm around him too. The older brother screamed and collapsed, drawing the attention of Emil. 

“Why was Mickey screaming?!” He paused as Yuuri hugged him too. “Ah! Are we having a hugging competition now?!”

He smiled as the Czech man hugged back, but his attention was drawn to Seung-Gil, whose eyes were still looking a little red and puffy. He remembered watching the tears slide down his friend’s Soulmate’s cheeks, and pulled the Korean into a hug. Yuuri felt him go stiff, so he quickly let him go. JJ also had a similar reaction, though he wasn't quite sure why he'd decided to hug the Canadian.

“Noooo!” Yurio screamed as he ran from Yuuri’s hugs. “Stay away from me!”

He'd hugged all of the competitors, so Yuuri dragged him and his frazzled mind to grab his things. He was flying back to Japan the next day so he needed to get some sleep. 

Upon leaving the rink, he checked his phone. Still nothing from Viktor, but Phichit, Chris, Leo, Guang-Hong and his mother had all sent him texts saying various forms of congratulations. They made him smile, but the lack of news on Makkachin unnerved. Maybe they were waiting until he got home. Viktor...his mind drifted to the Russian, more specifically what they were going to do next. Due to his age...he probably wouldn't be able to skate competitively much longer. If this was really going to be his last season, then he wanted...no, he needed to get the Gold now. He bit his lip under his mask and sighed, fogging up his glasses. 

“Even if I don't take first...I'll have Viktor step down as my coach…” He mumbled to himself.

And then...and then what? Would his lover make a comeback to skating? It was unlikely that he'd retire with him, but he could dream. 

Before his stream of negative thinking could continue, he suddenly found himself flying sideways with a sharp pain in his ribs. 

‘What the fuck was that?!’ He thought, wiping the breath off his lenses, only to find Yurio glaring down at him. 

“There you are Katsudon! Thanks for making me look everywhere for you!” The teen snarled.

“He-Hey Yurio.” The older skater groaned.

“What was with the hugging earlier?! It was creepy!”

“Sorry about that...don't know what came over me.”

“And don't get me started on your Free Skate! It was pathetic! Da, you have an excuse, Nikiforov wasn't there!” He looked like he was about to cry. “But me?! I was in top form! I even got a new personal best! And yet I still lost to JJ of all people! You cannot be more depressed than me right now! Ok!?” 

“Ok! Ok!” Yuuri raised his hands in surrender.

“Also, here.” He dropped a brown paper bag onto his lap. “These are for you. My Grandpa made them. It's your birthday soon right?”

Yuuri was shocked that the young Russian even knew his birthday, let alone his grandfather making something for it. He stood up and opened the bag. Looking down, he was shocked to see some Pirozkhi.

“Huh?” He was still a little confused.

“Eat one.” 

“What...Right now?”

“Yes right now!” Yurio ordered.

Yuuri gently lifted a Pirozkhi out of the bag, and took a bite. His eyes immediately widened at the familiar flavours hitting his tongue, it tasted just like Katsudon. But...in a Pirozkhi? He looked and Yurio, who’s grin made him finally look his age.

“Wait...is this…?!”

“Da! Katsudon Pirozkhi! My Grandpa made them himself! Aren't they great?!”

“Yeah! They're vkusno!”

The two of them ended up walking back to the hotel together, and Yuuri discovered that Yurio could be pleasant company when he wasn't on the offensive. He admitted to cheering Yuuri on during the Free Skate, and the Japanese thanked him for it. By the time they got to their rooms, Yuuri’s mood had drastically improved, although his decision hadn't changed.

***

The flight from Moscow to Japan was around midday, so Yuuri wouldn't get to Japan until late evening. As inconvenient as it was, it also meant that his parents wouldn't be throwing a massive family party again. Just a little gathering with his parents, sister, the Nishigori’s, Minako...and Viktor. Viktor...for some reason the idea of seeing him again made him nervous. There was so much they needed to talk about...the hard part was finding where to start.

When he landed, making his way through the terminal, he felt his heart pounding in his chest. Would Viktor be waiting here or at home? Would Makka be there? He took deep breaths as he made his way round the corner, then paused when he heard a muffled bark. He looked up slowly, and almost burst into tears, as he saw a familiar brown poodle leaning up against the glass, looking up at him, tongue hanging out...alive! He looked up and found Viktor sitting on a plastic chair. The Russian looked exhausted, but the minute the two locked eyes he immediately stood up. Then, they were both running. The length a glass between them felt like it was going on for miles, but he soon reached the doors and after a second longer of waiting Viktor was holding him in his arms.

“Yuuri…” He whispered. “I've...been thinking about what I should do...as your coach.”

“Yeah, so have I…” He supposed getting straight to the elephant in the room.

He pushed Viktor away from him, but still kept his hands firmly gripped on his shoulders. The Russian looked shocked for a second, his eyes wide and bright.

“Viktor...will...will you be my coach until I retire?” He gasped.

Viktor didn't respond at first, which provoked that sense of anxiety. But it was soon calmed as his lover smiled, took on of his hands and kissed it gently.

“That sounds like a marriage proposal.” He chuckled.

The idea of marrying Viktor made his heart swell, and suddenly it felt like his entire world had stopped. He'd thought he'd seen that flash of blue that he normally did except...it didn't go away. Viktor’s eyes were a solid, aqua colour. Then slowly...first the rest of Viktor’s face, then the walls around him, and suddenly his vision was overwhelmed by the rush of colour. He looked around himself, trying to take in everything he was seeing, everything Viktor allowed him to see.

“Yuuri? Dorogoy, are you ok?” He asked, gently taking hold of his face.

“I can see it. Viktor...your eyes are so beautiful!”

It seemed the Russian quickly caught onto what Yuuri was saying and a bright smile spread across his face. Yuuko had told him how beautiful Viktor’s eyes were, but nothing compared to them being the first things you see in colour. He slowly raised his hands to his lover’s face, and was almost shocked to see how tanned they were next to his face.

“Yuuri, I've missed you so much.” Viktor sighed as he lead the way to the taxi.

“I missed you too. Sorry I didn't do as well as I could have done.”

“Shush Detka. You made it to the final, just like I said you would. But for now, we forget skating ok?”

He nodded and got in, tried not to laugh at Viktor telling the driver where to go in broken Japanese. He was improving but nowhere near fluent. As they drove, Yuuri watched the world he knew change. Things that had been a dull monochrome, were now vibrant colours. He couldn't see them properly with it being so dark, but even the signs on shops seemed ridiculously bright. 

“Amazing, isn't it?” Viktor whispered, placing his hand on Yuuri’s thigh.

“You can see them too?”

“Of course. You are my Soulmate after all.”

The younger man felt his heart skip a beat at that. Viktor wouldn't joke about this right? He would be serious right? When Viktor saw the look on Yuuri’s face he must have understood what he was thinking, as he held the Skater’s face.

“Believe me Yuuri. You are my Soulmate. I've been trying to tell you for months.” He chuckled.

“What?! How long have I been your Soulmate?! When did it happen?! How?! How did I not know?!”

“Yes, it's true. For about...a year at least. At the GPF banquet last year. When we were dancing together. And probably because you refused to believe it could happen.”

Yuuri couldn't believe that Viktor answered all of his points so fluidly. But it made sense. He could barely remember that night, especially after the 6th or 7th flute of Champagne. But he must have made quite the impression.

“I was kinda sad you know.” He continued. “When I realised I hadn't become your Soulmate back. It's unusually rare for one’s Soulmate to be a different person, so I was sure it was you. But before I could ask you ran off…”

“Sorry…” Yuuri sighed.

“What are you apologising for?!”

“Running off. I've looked up to you and...and loved you since I was a kid. You're the one that kept me skating through my hardest times, the idea that one day I'd get to skate with you. Knowing that you'd seen me wasted on Champagne was like...my worst nightmare.” 

“Oh Yuuri. I thought you were so adorable! Begging me to be your coach, dancing with me and Yurio.” The Russian smiled and pulled him close, before leaning into whisper. “Tonight, I'll reward you for getting into the Final and for finally accepting that you're worthy of being my Soulmate.”

The tone of Viktor’s voice made him shudder in anticipation. A naive part of him imagined that Viktor was going to try and making him Katsudon, which would have been amazing, but something in the Russian’s eyes suggested that his reward was going to be a bit different.

***

Upon arriving home, he found that his parents had closed the Onsen for the evening, in order to give Yuuri a quiet space to celebrate his victory with his family. Though he appreciated that, and Katsudon made by his mother which was the best Katsudon in the world, his mind was occupied by Viktor’s reward. The Russian had a knowing look on his face the entire night, and Yuuri felt like he was going to explode if he didn't get an answer soon.

By the end of the night, everyone had slowly filtered off to their respective bedrooms, and Yuuri could feel his entire body buzzing with some of the looks his lover was giving him. When Mari eventually retired, Viktor stood up and placed his fingers under Yuuri’s chin, gently bringing him up to meet him.

“Now it's my turn.” He purred.

Yuuri felt himself melting under his touch, and eagerly followed as he made his way towards the room Viktor occupied. Before anymore could be said, Viktor had scooped Yuuri into his arms, then threw him onto the large bed where he landed with a yelp. Looking into his lover’s brilliant blue eyes, he could see an almost predatory expression, especially as Viktor saw the sliver of skin that had been exposed from under his shirt. The Russian ducked down and Yuuri giggled at the ticklish sensation, until Viktor looked up at him.

“Tonight my little Katsudon, I'll have you screaming my name as I fuck you into the bed.” He growled, pulling a deep sigh from the younger man. “But if you ever need me to-”

“I'll tell you if I get uncomfortable.” Yuuri smiled, appreciating the care Viktor gave him, even when dominating him.

They smiled, and set to work undressing each other. Yuuri felt like he could properly appreciate his lover’s body now, the way his muscles looked in the shadows, the way his own hand looked pressed against his chest. As overwhelmingly exciting as it was, he was sure that this was a view he could get used to. Once they were both fully undressed, Yuuri felt Viktor’s eyes scanning his for any signs hesitation.

“Alright~ do exactly as I say, da Detka? Otherwise I'll have to punish you~”

“I thought this was meant to be a reward.” He smirked a little.

He was being cheeky, and he knew he probably shouldn't provoke Viktor when his eyes were so dark, but he couldn't help it. In a way, it sounded like Viktor’s ‘punishment’ was going to be just as pleasurable as his reward. 

The Russian smirked, seeming to love when his lover spoke with confidence. He licked his lips, and Yuuri watched him as he placed his hands on his hips.

“Someone’s got a mouth on him tonight. On your hands and knees.”

When Yuuri made no move to do as he said, Viktor bit his lip before rolling him over himself. The skater felt the gentle press of Viktor’s lips on his back, all the way down to just above his ass, and he looked over his shoulder just in time to see Viktor bring his hand down onto one cheek, followed by an accompanying sting that...felt surprisingly good.

“Viktor~!” He moaned.

“Aaah Yuyu~ I thought we agreed that you don't call me Viktor in bed.” He spanked him again, the sensation sending all the blood in Yuuri’s body to his groin.

“Vi-Vitya~” 

“Good boy.” Viktor purred, placing a gentle kiss on the cheek he hadn't slapped, before biting him there.

“Ah!” Yuuri gasped, quickly spinning round to pull Viktor into a hard kiss.

He kissed back for a second, but soon he pulled away, too soon in Yuuri’s opinion, with another knowing smirk on his face. God Yuuri had a love hate relationship with that smile.

“Stay still. Don't move a muscle moya lyubov.” 

Yuuri decided to do as Viktor said this time, however much he wanted to feel the Russian’s hands on him again. It seemed like an age before he reappeared holding...a tie?

“Vitya, is that my tie from the press conference...and the Banquet?”

“Da, it is.”

“And...why do you have it in your room?”

“Because it's disgusting and I was going to burn it! Until now! Hands above your head.”

Once again, Yuuri did as he was told, holding onto the headboard above him. He watched as Viktor use the tie to restrain him. They discovered that the tie was actually a lot longer than Viktor anticipated, so he ended up leading it down into Yuuri’s mouth.

“Don't want your parents hearing you do we?” He mumbled in his ear. 

He watched with wide eyes as Viktor licked his way down to his chest, pausing for a second as he decided what to do. He chose to play with his nipples for a minute or two, this had seemed like his favourite thing to do besides skating since he discovered how sensitive the buds were. 

Yuuri pulled hard against his tie at the feeling of Viktor moving away from his chest and down to his stomach, where he paused. The skater had become very conscious of that specific area of his body because of that last bit of weight he couldn't quite seem to lose, but Viktor adored it. He adored it, but would never go near it without asking permission, which Yuuri didn't give more often than not. Tonight...tonight was different. Tonight he could appreciate the experience in a way he never had before, because now Viktor was completely and totally his.

“Yuyu? May I?” He asked quietly.

“Yes.” Yuuri whispered back.

Viktor’s eyes seemed to light up then, as he pressed the softest kisses to his skin, nuzzling him a little between them, which pulled childlike giggles out of the skater. He felt the Russian smirk, before finally reaching his destination of between Yuuri’s thighs. He pressed his lips to the Skater’s right leg, while gently massaging the other

“God Yuuri, you have the most wonderful thighs~” He breathed hotly against his skin. “I had dreams for months after the banquet, eating you out, you riding me into every surface of my apartment. Sometimes I'd even imagine you squeezing my head between your legs while I sucked you off~!”

Yuuri let out a long, almost silent moan, which allowed the end of the tie to slide out of his mouth along with a trail of saliva. Viktor looked like he was about to come then and there, before he carefully wrapped his mouth around the head of his lover’s dick. God, it had only been two days since he last saw him but Yuuri had missed the feeling of Viktor’s mouth on him.

In an achingly slow progression, Viktor took all of Yuuri’s length in his mouth and started working his tongue on him. He used his tongue to circle the tip, it almost drove Yuuri insane. He felt his thigh muscles tighten, and Viktor moaned as one of his fantasies came true. The vibrations from the Russian’s moaning combined with how tight his lover’s mouth felt around him, almost made the skater scream, and he could feel himself being pushed closer and closer to the edge.

“Vi-Vitya!” He gasped. “Please! I'm so...so close!”

The Russian pulled off and gave Yuuri the dirtiest smile he'd ever seen on him, the expression sending what little blood was left in his body straight to his dick.

“Not yet detka, I'm not finished with you yet.”

Yuuri wondered what he meant for a second, but his breath escaped him as Viktor tapped his index and middle fingers to Yuuri’s lips. He pulled them into his mouth, sucking and licking them like his life depended on it. It felt like too soon when Viktor removed them, but he never gave Yuuri a chance to complain, as he swiftly pushed both digits into the younger man’s ass. 

“Viktor! Oh my god!” He gasped, back arching upwards, pulling on his tie.

“Ah ah ah, what did I say you should call me?” He pulled his fingers out, so only the tips of his fingers were inside of the younger man.

“Ah! Vitya! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please but them back!”

“Such a little slut Yuyu, so desperate for my fingers inside you.”

Yuuri would have normally blushed at such harsh words being used, but this was Viktor, and Viktor was the one exception. 

“Tell me what you are Yuyu~” He purred, slowly pushing his fingers back in.

“I'm your little slut! I need you Vitya! I need- oh god!”

Viktor had started stretching him now, using his own precome to make sure he was slick enough to keep going, but oh god Yuuri had felt like he'd died and gone to heaven. Yuuri had been a little afraid to admit to his lover how he sometimes didn't mind having aggressive sex, but this was mind blowing.

“Vitya! Vitya please! I need your cock inside me! It's driving me mad!” He was gasping, trying his hardest to stay still for him and squeezing his eyes shut.

“No Detka. I want to look into your eyes as I fuck you, and I want you to look into mine.”

Yuuri did as he was told, and he sighed quietly. As dominating as Viktor was sometimes, the Skater could see that he was constantly making sure his lover was safe and in as little pain as possible. He smiled softly.

“I need you Vitya!” He was begging now.

Viktor gently caressed Yuuri’s face, before shifting in an attempt to get condoms. They'd always used protection, at Yuuri’s request, even though they knew they were both clean, but tonight being a night of new things was not a night for protection. If he'd had use of his hands, Yuuri would have grabbed him, but he was still tied to the headboard, so he ended up wrapping his legs around Viktor’s waist.

“Yuyu? Detka, are you ok?”

“I...I want to feel you tonight. I want to feel every inch of you inside of me. I...I want you to fill me up with your come Vitya.” Yuuri could hear the low purr in his own voice. 

“You want that huh? You want me to fill you up until it's dripping out of that whore hole of yours?” 

Yuuri groaned and tugged on his tie, if Viktor kept talking like this he was gonna explode. The Russian pulled his fingers out and found the lube he kept in his bedside table. The skater wondered for a second why Viktor hadn't used it in the first place, but all thoughts were wiped from his mind as he felt the head of Viktor’s dick push into him.

“Vitya~!” He gasped.

The intrusion had shocked him and he'd pulled a little too hard on the tie, to the point that his wrists were stinging. He hissed quietly, but not quietly enough.

“Are you ok, Moya Lyubov? Did I hurt you?” Viktor was panting.

“Not you.” Yuuri nodded his head at the tie.

“Oh, prosti Yuuri, I should have seen you were uncomfortable.”

In an amazing feat of flexibility, Viktor managed to get rid of the tie without pulling out what little of his dick was in Yuuri. Once the skater had his hands free, they immediately shot to the back of Viktor's head, pulling him into a heated kiss. As their tongues danced, Yuuri felt body shudder as the Russian pushed further and further inside him. The stretch was intoxicating, and by god he'd missed it. When he eventually bottomed out, a quiet groan escaped Viktor’s lips.

“Vitya?”

“I'm ok, I've just...god I missed you so much Yuyu.”

“I know, I missed you too.” He tangled his fingers in that famous silver hair.

“I've never felt so...so…”

“Anxious?”

Viktor looked at him, and Yuuri realised that without Yuuri there, Viktor had nothing to anchor him through Makkachin’s ordeal. Hed probably have felt the same anxiety as Yuuri did most of the time. Only it would have been entirely mew to him, thus harder to deal with. He kissed the Russian’s forehead, then his nose. That was when Viktor seemes to reach the same conclusion. The Russian’s face gave away how heart broken he was for the younger man.

“Yuuri…”

“It's ok Vitya.”

“How do you…”

“You learn. But I don't think now is the time to have that conversation. Do you?”

They looked between them, where Viktor’s dick was stil sat snugly in Yuuri’s ass, and they started to laugh. 

“No. Maybe not.”

“Maybe not. Now, you have a promise to keep Vitya. I'm expecting to be fucked deep into this bed you know~”

The Russian chuckled and pulled Yuuri into a gentle kiss as he began to move his hips. Despite the deep conversation they'd had a minute ago, neither of them took very long to get back in the moment, and soon the only things coming out of Yuuri’s mouth were breathy gasps and Viktor’s name. The Russian started to move harder and harder, easily finding and hitting his prostate again and again until Yuuri was almost in tears. 

“Vitya! Oh god I'm...I'm so close!”

“I know Yuyu! Me too!”

The Japanese man moved his hands from where they were gripping Viktor’s hair, to lace their fingers together by his head. Yuuri strained to hear if anyone was coming, but the only thing he picked up was their laboured breaths and skin on skin. The skater moaned as his core got tighter and held Viktor’s hands in a vice like grip.

“Detka~” The Russian whispered.

“Ha-Hai…?” Yuuri whispered back, slipping back into his mother language, mind too occupied to translate.

“Come for me~”

That was all it took, Yuuri would have moaned loudly as he came over his and Viktor’s chests, but the Russian captured his lips in a kiss, muffling any sound that would have escaped. He felt himself clench around Viktor, and soon enough he was coming too, into Yuuri. He the sensation of the warm liquid entering him sent his mind into overdrive, and he almost came again. Even though he knew he'd say this many times in the future, he felt that this was the most he'd ever loved Viktor.

***

After they'd cleaned themselves up, they slid into Viktor’s bed to cuddle, Yuuri resting his head on the defined chest of his coach. If he could go back and tell Yuuri from last year that he and Viktor Nikiforov would become Soulmates, he probably would have either laughed or cried. And yet here he was.

“Yuuri, while you were gone, I looked at some stuff on the internet.” He spoke into Yuuri’s hair.

“A little dangerous of you, but go on.”

The Russian chuckled.

“No no nothing like that. I meant I looked into Anxiety. After what happened before your Free Skate, I always meant to but I never got the chance.”

Yuuri felt his breath catch in his throat. He was both flattered and worried that Viktor had gone through the trouble of looking into it.

“And?”

“And.” He paused. “I think I understand it a little better now. At least enough to be able to help you.”

The skater suddenly felt his eyes burning, and he hugged his coach, burying his face in his chest. He could tell that Viktor was a little concernes by the action, purely by the way his body stiffened. But when the younger man started pressing gentle kisses to his chest, he relaxed.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

They then fell asleep like that, Viktor’s arms around the Japanese man, and Yuuri’s head on his chest. Yuuri had never felt so relaxed in the middle of the season.


	10. Love in Barcelona

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Barcelona episode!!! Only from Yuuri's perspective rather than Viktor's and a little extra Yurio!

In the days leading up to the Grand Prix Final being held in Barcelona, Yuuri threw himself into his practice harder than ever before. If this was going to be his last season, he wanted to make it onto the podium at least. After last year’s final he had to. 

“Yuuri, we should really call it a day now.” Viktor sighed, watching his Soulmate skid to a halt for what must have been the 20th time.

“No! I can keep going!”

Viktor skated up to him and wrapped his arms around his waist, gently pressing his lips against the younger man’s neck.

“Yuyu, lyubov, if you keep going you're going to wreck your body before we even get to Spain. We can pick up again tomorrow. Trust me, your quad Flip is getting better!” 

Yuuri sighed as he felt Viktor sink his teeth softly into his skin. More often than not this would be the only way he'd be able to pull Yuuri away from his practice, especially when he was into the flow of going over both programs or any of his jumps. 

“Alright. Fine.” He gave in, allowing his coach to pull him off the ice to go home.

***

When Yuuri had announced to his family that he and Viktor had become Soulmates, they were more surprised at how long it had taken, rather than the fact that it had happened. They'd congratulated him, of course, Yuuko almost screaming when she heard, but they all seemed to have known that Yuuri and Viktor were each others Soulmates long before they'd even formally met. 

It struck Yuuri then, that Viktor never said anything about his own family. It was the one thing that Yuuri knew nothing about when it came to his Soulmate. He'd been curious, but he'd never had the courage to ask in case it upset him. One night, two nights before they were due to fly out to Barcelona, the skater finally built up the courage to ask, as Viktor was absently scrolling through Instagram with one hand and using the other to play with Yuuri’s hair.

“Viktor?”

“Yes love?”

“Can you tell me about your family?” He asked quietly.

He felt the Russian go stiff underneath him, and for a second he worried he'd upset him. After a silence that felt like an eternity, Viktor took a deep breath.

“They're busy. Papa is in charge of a huge Russian business, and Mama is a famous fashion designer.”

“They're busy?”

“They do a lot in their lives Yuyu...they never really had time for me when I was growing up. Hiring Nannies for me rather than raising me themselves…” He started to sound more withdrawn, and Yuuri started to regret asking.

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you by bringing them up! I just...got curious.”

“It's ok Yuyu. I was going to tell you about them eventually...it's just hard...cause of how absent they've been.”

Yuuri snuggled up to him more, and they slowly drifted off to sleep. Knowing that Viktor’s parents hadn't been there for him suddenly made him appreciate his own parents a lot more. It also explained why Viktor had become so attached to Hiroko and Toshiya when he'd arrived; they'd treated him like a son, no questions asked. Yuuri fell asleep that night feeling a little saddened, but also like he understood Viktor a lot more.

***

The flight from Fukuoka to Barcelona felt like an age had gone by. Yuuri ended up being hit harder by the jet lag than Viktor. He could barely get himself off of the plane when they landed, Viktor had the half drag him half carey him to get their bags.

“Maybe I should carry you to the taxi Detka.” He joked.

“Don't tempt me Viktor.” Yuuri sighed, lifting his case off the conveyor belt.

By the time they got to the hotel, Yuuri was already half asleep, only vaguely aware of Viktor talking to reporters and other skaters. It wasn't until Yuuri almost collapsed into the arms of Chris, who was in the middle of a random conversation with Viktor, thay the Russian actually did lift the younger man into his arms, chuckling at his tired ramblings.

“Vitya...what if I don't win…” He mumbled as Viktor stepped out of the elevator and onto their floor.

“I have all the faith that you will Moya Lyubov.” 

Yuuri gave him a tired smile as the Russian unlocked their room and stepped inside. Luckily their cases were already there, so Viktor could easily find Yuuri’s usual bedwear. Though Yuuri wasn't really aware of it, Viktor had to stop himself from laughing at the familiarity of taking Yuuri’s clothes off when he was only half concious. He also barely heard Viktor say something about going out for a while. Something...about a pool? He simply nodded and pressed his face into his pillow, drifting off entirely.

***

When Yuuri next woke up, it was dark outside. The Spanish sky was surprisingly clear, just like the one back home. Only no...it would be day time back in Hasetsu. He looked around and saw that Viktor was gone, he vaguely remembered his Soulmate telling him where he was going, but he was lucky that he remembered he was even in Barcelona with all the jet lag. He fumbled blindly for his glasses, and when they were securely on his face he fumbled a little before he found his phone. 

“I wonder where…” He mumbled.

He unlocked his phone and opened instagram. He knew Viktor and his friends would upload as soon as they touched down in Barcelona, and considering he'd slept through till it was dark, he supposed most of them would be there by now. The app opened and the first thing he saw was from Chris.

“Ah. He's at the pool with Chris.” Yuuri mumbled.

The picture did show Viktor and Chris, they were being their usual, dramatic selves, one leg extended at an odd angle. He scrolled down a little and saw a selfie of Phichit outside the Sagrada Familia. He'd completely forgotten that he was meant to call him whem he got to Barcelona. A little further down was a picture of JJ and his girlfriend. He frowned a little, staring at the picture.

“Oh, they're engaged now.”

He supposed he should feel happy for them, but he couldn't bring himself to for some reason. Then came a photo of Yurio with some of his fans. He chuckled at them, the girls loomed extatic to be with him, Yurio on the other hand…

“Heh...he looks happy.” Yuuri muttered.

A couple more pictures of a displeased Yurio went by and he suddenly found himself getting bored with it. As good as Instagram was for checking on your friends, it got a little boring after a while. The smile on his face faded, and he fell back onto his pillow with a deep sigh. On the one hand, he was so proud that he'd made it here again, but on the other hand he was still absolutely terrified that he was going to fail again. 

Yuuri looked to his right and saw that the other single bed in the room had been pushed up to his. With a small smile, he realised that Viktor must have put them together before he left. His smile faded, and he rolled onto his side, watching his hand shake.

“Love’s changed me...I’m stronger now...and I'll prove it at the Grand Prix Final...with a gold medal...yeah right…” 

He spaced out a little, and images of last year’s final flashed in front of his eyes. His jumps, his failures, his depression at the kiss and cry...he was so afraid to go there again. He felt anxiety build up again, and he pressed his face into the pillow below him. He needed Viktor, he needed his Soulmate with his calming presence.

“Viktor...where are you…I need you…” He whined into the fabric.

He heard someone outside the door then, but he wasn't quite sure who it was. They sounded familiar, but his brain just wouldn't make the connection. It wasn't until the door was kicked open and the lights were thrown on that he realised that it was both Viktor and Chris who had pulled him out of his reverie. 

“Yuuri~ I'm freezing~! I can't feel my toes! Let's take a bath da?”

He looked over at the door to see Viktor, who was in his swim shorts with a towel over his head, kept dancing from one foot to the other while Chris, in what looked like only a robe, smirked at them. A light seemed to switch on behind the Russian’s eyes as he realised that Yuuri had been sleeping until recently. 

“Hey could I make some coffee?” Chris asked.

“Wait, were you still sleeping!?”

Yuuri opened his mouth to tell them that yes, he had been sleeping, when Viktor practically launched himself at the skater.

“Jeez! You're like a human icicle! No! Go take your own bath!” Yuuri held his Soulmate at arms length. 

Viktor seemed to hear the strained tone of Yuuri’s voice and his smile fell a little. He really had been doing some reading if he caught on so quickly. He muttered something to Chris in French, whose eyes quickly flitted over to the Japanese skater, before he excused himself. Viktor frowned and pressed a kiss to his head.

“Give me 5 minutes and I'll be right with you”

Yuuri nodded and once he heard Viktor close the bathroom door, he shuffled under his covers of his bed. He wasn't timing, but he was pretty sure that Viktor showered and was out in under 5 minutes, either way he was happy to feel the familiar pressure against his back.

“What's wrong Detka?”

“Sorry I just…”

“Overthinking?”

He nodded slowly, then smiled gently as Viktor huffed gentle breaths against the back of his neck, then...sneezed?

“Prosti Yuuri, your hair is a little longer now. Tickled my nose.” They laughed softly.

“Oh so it's my fault?”

They laughed a little, then sank into a comfortable almost silence, the only sounds being Viktor’s breathing.

“You're going to do great moya lyubov.”

“But what if I don't…” 

“You will. Because you got here.”

He turned over and looked deep into his Soulmate’s eyes. It had been weeks since he'd first seen Viktor in full colour, but he never got tired of it. Nevergot tired of those beautiful eyes.

***

They spent the day before the competition going through the two programs, making sure they stayed out of the way when another skater’s music was playing. Neither of them were 100% happy with how the quad Flip looked yet. He could go into it, get the rotations, but it was always the landing he messed up. He didn't fall over much any more, but he more often than not had to put his hand on the ice to keep it that way. When he'd told his coach that he'd wanted to put it in both programs despite the inconsistency, Viktor had looked concerned at first, before his mouth turned into that bright heart shape as he agreed to help him.

“Enough practice for today, I'm off!” He heard JJ call to anyone (no one) who was listening.

Yuuri decided that it wasn't a good idea to push himself so hard the day before the competition, so he slid off the ice as well. Viktor helpfully held his shoulder as he brushed the ice off of his skates and put the blade guards on.

“What do you want to do with the rest of the day? It'd be a good idea to get some rest, da?”

Yuuri looked blankly at the older man. After months of being probably the most unconventional coach on the planet, he chose now to change that? When Yuuri didn't respond, Viktor raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Don't start being a model coach now Viktor!” He sighed, turning to face him. “I've never been to Barcelona, so take me sight-seeing!”

The Russian studied his Soulmate’s face carefully, lord knew what for though, but when Yuuri winked at him, his own face was taken over by a smile.

“Your wish is my command~” He purred.

***

The next few hours consisted of Viktor dragging Yuuri around what felt like the entirety of Barcelona, starting at Sagrada Familia, where Phichit had been last night, having traditional Paella for lunch, then on a shopping trip up and down the main streets. 

Somehow, Yuuri ended up carrying all of their bags whilst Viktor simply pulled him from shop to shop, ignoring his Soulmate’s pleas for a break. After buying a bag of nuts, Viktor eventually let Yuuri sit down on a bench. He said something about how much fun this was and how colourful the place was, but the Japanese man wasn't listening at that point, too busy remembering to breathe. Suddenly, Viktor had grabbed his hand and was pulling him away.

“Wait...what!?”

“I said, I'm going to buy you a new suit for your birthday! The one you wore at that press conference is god awful! And if we didn't have a use for the tie I'd burn the whole thing!”

“Viktor! Hold on! You don't need to do that! Beside, I kinda like that suit!”

However, the Russian didn't seem to want to hear him. He pulled the younger man through the streets, babbling something about his Soulmate deserving the best suits, and Yuuri suddenly worried that when...if he and Viktor went back to Japan he would throw all of his clothes out. 

The fitting ended up taking about two hours, purely because Viktor would immediately make him change if Yuuri looked the slightest bit uncomfortable. In the end, Yuuri was bought a black blazer and pants combo, with a silver tie and pale blue shirt. It was the one Viktor liked best, so he was a little more inclined to like it. They were about to go and look around some more, when Yuuri’s phone started to ring. 

“Hello?” He said upon answering.

“Katsuki I...I need help. Like...soon.” 

It was Yurio, there was no mistaking that, but he sounded off. His voice cracked and he sounded petrified. Not only that, but Yuuri hadn't expected himself to be the first person Yurio turned to if he was in trouble.

“Ok, take a deep breath. Have you called Yakov or Lilia?”

“They can't help me, I just...I'd never thought I'd say this but I need your help.”

“Ok…” he bit his lip, turning to Viktor who also looked concerned. “Where are you, Viktor and I can come and get you.”

“No!” He gasped. “I mean...I am safe...I'm just confused.”

“Are you alone?” Yuuri asked, after Viktor whispered harshly in his ear.

“N-no...I’m with Otabek Altin. You know...the skater from Kazakhstan?”

“Did something happen?” The Japanese man’s mind whirled with what could have happened.

“I...I think there's something wrong with my eyes…!”

Yuuri paused. Something wrong with his eyes? That sounded dangerous. If there was something wrong with his eyes then he may not be able to compete.

“Otabek says it's the same for him too...Katsuki...i'm scared…”

The Japanese man had never expected to hear that, and he suddenly understood why Yurio came to him. If he went to Yakov or Lilia, they may stop him skating, as would any of his rinkmates which included Viktor. His grandfather was in Russia and wouldn't be able to do anything. 

“Yuri. Can you see? Describe what's in front of you.”

He described what sounded like a bathroom, Otabek must have taken him in there when he started to panic, and everything sounded pretty standard.

“Oh. And there's a blue sink.”

Yuuri frowned. Blue? But he remembered Viktor saying that he was the only Russian skater who had a Soulmate, and when Mari had asked the teen if he had one he'd said no so...how?

“What did you just say?”

“The sink is blue. Did you suddenly go deaf?”

“No just...put Otabek on, ask him to describe things.”

The Kazakh skater seemed to take the phone, and he went into much more detail, which included more colours. That's when Yuuri figured out what was wrong. He sighed with relief, thankful that neither of them were hurt.

“Can you tell me exactly what you were doing when your eyes went funny?” Yuuri asked.

“Katsuki everything looks weird. I was just looking at Otabek, our eyes met and suddenly...Otabek? What is it?”

Yuuri chuckled, as the older boy sounded as if he'd figured it out too. He heard a lower voice float through the speaker.

“Um...Yuri...I think we're...um...Soulmates…”

There was a pause.

“O-oh...I...um…” Yuuri could almost hear him blushing.

“I'll just leave you two to it then?” 

“Ye-yeah...sorry Katsuki...didn't...didn't realise…”

“It's fine. Good luck tomorrow.”

“Da…”

He hung up and Yuuri leaned into Viktor’s side.

“Is he ok?” The Russian asked.

“Yeah. He just found his Soulmate.” He smiled softly.

“Really? Who?”

“Otabek Altin. The skater from Kazakhstan, remember?”

“Hmm...ah yes! Bit of an age gap though?”

“Only 3 years Viktor. There's four between us, and Yuri will be 16 in...March right?”

“Da, da. You're right. Besides, Otabek seems like a nice guy.”

Yuuri chuckled, earning himself an odd look from his Soulmate. The Japanese skater smiled and hip bumped the older man.

“You sound like his dad.” 

Viktor laughed at that, and they continued walking down the street. Yuuri felt himself spacjng out a little, and it wasn't until the Russian pulled him to a stop that he realised it had gotten dark.

“Uh, dorogoy, I think we're missing a bag?”

Yuuri frowned, put all the ones that he was carrying down and checked each one against Viktor’s incredible memory of everywhere they shopped. Yes, somewhere along the line a bag of nuts they'd picked up had been forgotten. No, this wasn't a big deal, but Yuuri felt anxious about it anyway. 

“Um...we should probably retrace our steps.”

“Yuuri-”

“Come on!” 

Despite Viktor’s protests, which Yuuri ignored, he went back to all the shops they visited before Yurio called him, ending up at the bench where Viktor had let him rest.

“No luck...not here either…” 

Yuuri looked around the bench, checking under it as well, as if there was some hope that it had fallen.

“Yuyu, detka please calm down.” Viktor sighed.

“Sorry...this was my best guess...but I can just go and get some more!”

He was about to head off when Viktor grabbed his arm. For a second, Yuuri was worried that his boyfriend was angry at him, but Viktor only smiled.

“Yuuri, the shop is probably closed now. It's no big deal. We should probably head back now anyway, you're tired right.”

The Japanese man paused, eyes widening, then he frowned. It was just a throwaway comment, but it irked Yuuri a little. Viktor rarely said something so thoughtless, at least not as often as he used to, so why would he say something like that?

“Why are you just assuming that I'm tired?” Yuuri turned on him.

The Skater didn't get angry often, but he felt more than a little annoyed at Viktor’s statement.

“Ok, fine, I'm tired.”

They stared each other down for a second, before Yuuri sighed. He knew Viktor was right; the nuts weren't a big deal, but it was the fact that it had become a waste of money...Viktor’s money.

“Ok...we can head back. Can we go through the Christmas market though?”

“Of course.” Viktor smiled.

***

The walk back was a little tense, the effect of Yuuri’s out burst still hanging over both of them. Viktor never really saw Yuuri get mad, so he must have been wondering why he got so het up over a bag of nuts. 

As they looked around at the stalls, Yuuri suddenly remembered that it was coming up to Christmas, and that Viktor’s birthday was on Christmas day too. He had no idea what he'd even want though.

“Hey, your birthday is on Christmas Day right? I could get you something while we're here?”

“Mm...we celebrate birthday’s on the actual day and not before in Russia. We also don't really celebrate Christmas the same way as other countries so…” He shrugged.

Yuuri sighed. That was probably the least helpful thing ever to come out of Viktor’s mouth, but Yuuri dropped the subject. He still felt that he should get something for Viktor, if not for his birthday or Christmas, then just ask a thank you for everything he'd done for him in the past 8 months. 

“Yuyu, do you want to try my hot wine?” Viktor offered.

Yuuri was surprised the Russian had forgotten so easily, but he supposed it was Viktor he was talking to. The skater rolled his eyes and smiled fondly.

“No, I told you I don't drink before competitions.”

“Right, sorry.”

Once again they fell into silence. Yuuri was still thinking about what he could get Viktor. It had to be something special, something that would show Viktor how much he loved and appreciated him, almost like a charm. He looked around at some of the shops, there had to be something here that was right. Yuuri stopped as his eyes fell on one certain shop. He narrowed his eyes, trying to look in the shop window to make sure they actually had what he was looking for. He jogged up to the window, and sighed gently when he spotted them.

“This is perfect.” He whispered, before turning back to Viktor. “Let’s go in here!”

Yuuri lead the way inside, and did all of the talking. He kind of wanted to surprise Viktor, so he tried to keep the Russian’s view blocked from what he was doing. The lady behind the counter was extremely nice, helping him decide on which ones he wanted, if they were going to be engraved or not. In the end, he decided on a matching pair of what looked like plain gold bands, but on the inside the rings were engraved with snowflakes. He didn't know of Viktor would notice them or not, but the matching patterns really assured Yuuri of what these were...a lucky charm for him to share with his coach, his lover, his Soulmate. 

When the rings had been bought, Yuuri pulled Viktor to probably the quietest part of Barcelona. The front steps of a church. It may have been an odd choice, but this wasn't something he could do in the public eye. This had to be something private, no press, no media, just him and Viktor. 

“Yuyu, what's going on?” The Russian started to look concerned.

“U-um…” He took a deep breath and pulled off Viktor’s right glove, sliding the ring onto his ring finger. “Thank you Viktor, for everything you've done for me. From improving my skating, to helping me see how loved I really am.”

His eyes flicked up, to try and read his Soulmate’s expression, but Viktor was staring at where Yuuri was holding his hand. Though his face was blank, there was a load of emotions behind his eyes, and Yuuri wish he could identify them all.

“I...wanted to get you something…” he continued. “This...was the best I could think of. A-anyway...I'll do my best from tomorrow on! So...could...tell me something?”

He heard Viktor gasp quietly, and for a second he worried that the Russian was freaked out. He understood how much this seemed like a marriage proposal, but...if it did come across that way, there was more to it than that. And when Yuuri next looked up into Viktor’s eyes, he saw he was smiling as he took Yuuri’s hand and did the exact same thing.

“Alright, I'll tell you something you won't need to think about.” Yuuri shivered as Viktor slid the cold metal band onto his ring finger. “Tomorrow, skate in a way that's true to you. Show me, and the rest of the world, a program that makes you proud.”

When Viktor finished, the younger man looked up at him, and felt tears burning the back of his eyes. He'd never felt so much love for him coming from someone outside of his friends and family. They didn't need to say anything else after that, Viktor simply pulled Yuuri into his arms and kissed him gently. When he held his face, the Japanese man could only smile as he felt the ring against his face. As they walked away, Viktor’s words still spinning in his mind, they ended up wrapping their arms around each other.

***

If Mari and Minako hadn't been shrieking, Yuuri didn't think he'd have noticed them with their faces pressed to the window of a restaurant. Yet here they were, doing exactly that. As the two got closer, he thought he heard his sister say something about Yurio? Maybe they saw him somewhere. Yuuri was still a little worried about the teen, but he believed Otabek could look after him at least.

“Hey! What are you two doing?” The skater called out.

They managed one more step before the two women were latched onto him like leeches. With them both talking at the same time, it was a little hard to understand, and Viktor didn't help the matter by standing off to the side, laughing.

“Ok! Slow down! One at a time please!”

“Yuuri! We need a massive favour. You're in contact with most of the finalists right?” Minako demanded.

“Yes…? Why?”

“Minako thought we could all have dinner together! Like a pre competition party?” 

Yuuri wasn't sure if he thought this was the best or worst idea he'd ever heard, but the look on his sister’s face was so determined that he'd rather just give in than fight the issue. 

He let Viktor go and talk to the two in the restaurant, while he got in contact with Chris and Phichit. Phichit was extremely excited to join the four of them, Yuuri took out the part about the rings, not wanting to over excite his best friend. Chris was also enthusiastic to join them, and though they did follow Viktor out of the building, Yurio looked less than happy to be there, and Otabek as passive as ever, they ended up coming along anyway. Yuuri could tell that this was going to be interesting.

***

Once they’d all gathered at an apparently nice, outside restaurant, Yuuri had expected the conversation to be a little awkward. As it happened, after Mari and Minako finally pulled themselves together, the 8 of them actually spoke together about quite a few things, even other than skating. Everyone at the table had a Soulmate, though Chris and Phichit’s weren’t present, and they all had varying interests in skating. 

“You know...this is so much different from last year!” Yuuri chuckled. “I was always alone then. Didn’t talk to anyone, not even at the banquet. I couldn’t even talk to Viktor! Well...until after I’d had a few drinks.”

Suddenly, both Viktor and Chris were gasping and choking on their beer. Everyone else around the table was shocked at such an extreme reaction to such a mundane statement. Viktor turned slowly to him, his face blank with shock.

“Yuuri...what do you remember from that night?” Viktor asked.

“What? Well, I danced with you, after a few glasses of champagne, but you told me that.” 

“You...don’t actually remember!” He gasped.

Yuuri looked round at Chris, who had started laughing and gave him absolutely no help with the question. No one else would have known anyway, but Yurio seemed to be almost shaking with rage.

“You did more than just dance Katsudon! You pulled me into a dance battle! It was ridiculous!” He snarled, Otabek immediately reaching to pat his hand.

“WHAT!?” The Japanese man screamed.

“Not only that, we both stripped and danced with a pole~! I still have videos actually!” Chris smirked.

Yuuri was almost sobbing as he tried to remember any of this, while both Viktor and Chris showed the people who hadn’t been there what seemed like multiple videos of Yuuri making a total fool of himself.  
Luckily, and he had checked, no videos had been uploaded to any website, so he figured that everyone in attendance had been under some form of non-disclosure agreement. 

“Whoa Yuuri! That’s so dirty~!” Phichit giggled, as he, Mari and Minako watched a video on Chris’ phone.

“No~! Please stop! At least leave me some of my dignity!” He begged.

“Ah...so what’s with the rings boys?” Chris abruptly changed the subject.

Yuuri froze, as everyone around the table gave the two of them some odd looks. If he was honest, he’d completely forgotten about the ring on his finger, but now everyone was focused on it. Especially Phichit. He and Viktor shuffled together, almost as if trying to hide the rings. 

“Uh...I...don’t know...what you’re talking about?” Yuuri muttered, in a half hearted attempt to hide it.

“They match~!” Viktor sang, showing the rings off to their friends.

There was a moment of silence as the other 6 stared at the rings on their friend’s fingers, and Yuuri could almost see them trying to work out what they meant. The skater really hoped they wouldn’t get the wrong idea with them, explaining it would be bothersome, and he really was starting to get tired. But of course, a light suddenly came on behind Phichit’s eyes, and Yuuri knew immediately what he was going to say.

“Phichit…” He mumbled warningly.

“CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING MARRIED YOU TWO! EVERYONE! MY BEST FRIEND MARRIED HIS SOULMATE!”

Suddenly, the entire restaurant was cheering over something that hadn’t even happened! Yuuri started babbling, making up excuses as to what the rings actually meant, but he wasn’t really sure if any of it was coherent. He could feel his anxiety pushing it’s way into his mind, until Viktor’s voice cut through the noise.

“Hey! You’ve got it wrong!” Yuuri sighed with relief. “These are actually engagement rings~ Yuuri and I will marry after he wins gold at the Grand Prix~ Right? Yuuuri~”

It would have been completely fine...if Viktor had just stopped talking. Yuuri knew there was more to these rings than just good luck charms, but he’d planned to talk to Viktor in private about it, he hadn’t expected the Russian to just spit it out to the others without any conversation! 

“Viktor...did you just…” He gasped, before turning to the others.

They didn’t look happy, but Yuuri figured that was more down to Viktor’s comment about the gold medal, rather than the fact they may be getting married. His breathing grew harsh as all four competitors stared him down, in fact it almost made him feel a little sick.

“HOLD ON A SEC!” Another voice cut in.

They all turned to see JJ and his now fiance, Isabella, had somehow found out where they were, even though Yuuri was certain that they hadn’t told him. The Japanese man watched with annoyance as the Canadian started going on about how he’d be winning gold, and judging by the looks on the rest of the skater’s faces, even Mari and Minako, they really didn’t care what he was saying. 

After letting him ramble for a minute, all 8 of them decided to just leave, rather than stay and listen to that. On the way back to the hotel, Phichit, Minako and Mari all congratulated Yuuri on an engagement he’d known nothing about, one that he wasn’t entirely unhappy with, and even Otabek gave him a pat on the back before heading to his room. Once Viktor and Yuuri were alone, the Russian immediately oozed the sense of regret at his words.

“Uh...Yuuri?”

“Hm?” The skater mumbled, keeping his eyes focused on the window in front of him.

“I’m sorry if what I said earlier made you panic...I thought...I thought we were on the same page with it…” 

Yuuri took a deep breath before answering. He wasn’t upset by what Viktor had announced, he couldn’t have been more excited at the idea of marrying his idol. But it was the way Viktor had just said it so easily that put him on edge about it. 

“I just...I wanted to talk to you before we said anything is all…”

“I know it just...kind of slipped out.” He sighed. “It was the only way I could think of that would get them to stop. I’m really really sorry Yuuri!”

Yuuri turned to him, and saw that Viktor was actually getting really upset over this. He smiled softly, and went over to where he was sitting on their bed...beds? They were still pushed together...and held his face gently. They watched each other for a second, before Yuuri straddled the Russian’s lap and kissed him gently. Viktor kissed back, his hands wrapping around his Soulmate, now fiance’s, waist. Yuuri was the first to pull away, but only because he needed to say something.

“You don’t need to be sorry. But I would like a proper proposal...at some point! Not right now. Too much going on, you know?”

Viktor nodded, smiling a little more now. It was odd for Yuuri to see his long time idol looking so vulnerable. But he knew how hard it could be in that state of mind, so he promised himself to protect Viktor, when he couldn’t protect himself. The two of them started getting ready for bed, though the Russian made it a little difficult when, as soon as Yuuri took off his shirt, he kept grabbing his sides and trying to tickle him. Eventually, they did get into bed, and Yuuri felt like that was the best night’s sleep he’d ever had before a competition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has so far been my favourite and the hardest episode to write. Seeing as the episode itself is from Viktor's perspective rather than Yuuri, it was a lot of guess work as to what he was thinking. Still had fun with it. Especially the little bit with Yurio!  
> I also keep meaning to link my Tumblr cause sometimes I give a little update on how things are coming! Find me here:   
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thelittleleprechaun


	11. End Of My World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Grand Prix Final begins, it's time for Yuuri to make the biggest decision of his career.

When Yuuri woke up that next morning, his first thought was something along the lines of ‘where the hell is Viktor’, seeing as upon opening his eyes, he’d felt the almost odd emptiness at his back. He hadn’t been drinking, he remembered talking to Viktor then going to bed clearly. Yet now he was gone. Yuuri thought back to the day before the Hot Springs on Ice competition where Viktor had gone out and gone hammered, and he really hoped that his fiance wasn’t going to make a habit of disappearing. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and checked their travel clock, 6am. Even though it was early, it was still quite bright outside, and Yuuri had to narrow his eyes against the coming sunlight. Why would Viktor disappear like this…? Before he could think about answering the question himself, Viktor burst through the door carrying two cups of coffee and a paper bag. 

“Yuuri~ Love of my life~ I’m back~!” He sang as the door swung shut behind him.

“Vitya? Where’d you go?” He asked, sleepily shuffling over to him.

“I just went for a walk and decided to bring us back some breakfast.”

He set the items he’d been carrying down on the dresser and quickly pulled the Japanese man into his arms. Yuuri felt like he could truly appreciate Viktor’s snuggly nature like this, and even though he didn’t really like being touched before, he found Viktor was the one exception. 

“We could have gone to the hotel restaurant?” He chuckled.

“Well I was already out. And you deserve a treat~”

“Viktor I’m skating today, and you decide to give me sugar?”

He opened the bag and looked inside, expecting there to be some sort of cake in there. Instead he was greeted to...rice? He felt just as shocked as when Yurio had made a similar gesture back in Russia. He pulled on of the...clumps out for a closer look, and what really threw him, was that they were shaped and decorated like poodles? Specifically Makkachin?! 

“Viktor...what?”

“I said a treat, I never said anything about sugar!”

Yuuri looked at Viktor, then at the poodle rice ball, then back at Viktor. It was such an obscure yet sweet gesture, that after a second, the skater couldn’t stop himself from laughing. Viktor was smiling, but he looked more confused than anything. 

“So-sorry Viktor. I love them.” He smiled. 

As they ate, Viktor went over the plan and composition of the day’s skating. It was the Short Program first, as usual, and they’d decided to add the quad Flip to both Eros and the Free program. Yuuri was still not very confident with the jump, but he was determined to use it. If he didn’t...JJ had a higher base score, and he wouldn’t get gold. The Russian tapped his lips in thought, it was obvious he was worried about what could happen if Yuuri got it wrong, but the skater was determined to put it in. It was his only chance.

***

During the 6 minute warm up, Yuuri could tell that everyone on the ice, even JJ seemed to be a little out of sorts. The skater supposed this was the pressure of the Grand Prix Final, but he hadn’t thought JJ of all people would look as affected as he did. He’d been here before, several times, but he looked as if he was stepping onto this stage for the first time. 

Afterwards, seeing as he was currently in 6th, Yuuri was the only one left on the ice. Viktor stood on the other side of the wall, silently holding his hand. The skater took a long swig from his water bottle, and stared at his hands. This was it. Everything that he'd worked for with Viktor had been leading up to this. He looked up at his coach, who held Yuuri’s hand and kissed the ring there. To them it was intimate, but to those around it looked like a simple gesture of good luck. When Viktor let go Yuuri grinned at him, before skating off to the center. 

Taking a deep breath, he waited for his music to start. This was his last chance to get as many point as he could, to get as close to Gold as he could. He saw Viktor press his lips the band around his finger, and mirrored the action, before letting hid his arm swing beside him. The commentator's voice rang out, announcing him and his program.

He felt an odd buzzing in his body as he went through the beginning moves. As if the sexual love had become more...aggressive. He put it down to the primal love he felt the night after Viktor became his Soulmate, that made the most sense as he jerked his head back, remembering Viktor’s dark and lustful expression. 

Yuuri let his mind wander a little, thinking about the quad Flip they'd added in. He wasn't sure if he could get enough rotations in, let alone land it properly, but he was willing to try. He needed that jump, in both of his programs, if he wanted any hope of winning against JJ. The decision was risky, Viktor told him that to no end in Hasetsu, but if he was going to take risks, now was the time. Despite all of his practice, in this version of Eros, the only component that wasn't perfect was that Flip, and that was evident with how he was doing now. 

A triple Axel, landed effortlessly. He just need to keep this up, he just needed to keep going. Then his quad Salchow triple Toe Loop combination went perfectly too. Yuuri suddenly felt a surge of confidence, but even then something in the back of his mind was telling him that this couldn’t last, that something was going to go wrong. He was coming up to the quad Flip, he needed to get this right, he needed to get this right he needed to…

His hand touched the ice. The rest of the jump was fine but...he cleared his head, he just need to get through the rest of the program. After that it was easy. A few more spins, a few more moves and that was it. It was over. His arms around himself, he gasped for breath as it finally sunk in what had happened. He...hadn’t done it. His mind played over and over again the landing of the Flip, his hand touching the ice. Yuuri’s eyes found Viktor, who was watching him in concern, waiting for him to come off the ice but...he just collapsed. 

“Yuuri!” He heard Viktor call.

He couldn't get up, it was as if the ice and frozen him in place. All he could think was that he’d failed, he’d failed his family, he’d failed Celestino and Phichit...he’d failed Viktor. He fell further, pressing his head against the ice. Rationally, he knew he needed to move. He knew he needed to save the breakdown for later, but he was struggling to stop it. 

“Mr Katsuki…?” A female voice came from above.

He looked up and saw one of the ladies who cleared up the ice for the next skater. Yuuri blinked at her for a second, before realising that she was offering to help him off the ice. He took her hand and she guided him back to Viktor, who happily took him from her. She nodded to the two of them, before going back to doing her job.

“Yuyu? Are you ok?” Viktor whispered.

“Let’s...just go to the Kiss and Cry…” The skater mumbled, slipping on his blade guards.

How they managed to get to the Kiss and Cry without Yuuri slipping into a full blown breakdown, worse than before the Cup of China Free Skate, the Japanese man had no idea, but they did it, and they sat on the slightly uncomfortable sofa and waited for the score to come in. There was no way he was going get better than his personal best. It would be a miracle if he got on the podium now. He and Viktor looked up on the large screen above the ice. 97.83, not his best. Good...but not good enough. 

Yuuri frowned, tearing his eyes away from the screen just to see Phichit glide out onto the ice for his Short Program. The older skater had never realised how...red his old friend’s costume actually was, this being the first time he was seeing it in colour. But it suited the slight, Thai boy perfectly. As he skated, Yuuri realised that Phichit had made the music totally his own. 

Other skaters had used it before, but Phichit was the only Thai person to use it in a program, and now he was achieving his dream. Yuuri couldn’t be prouder of him, and if anyone was going to win this, he wanted it to be Phichit. The program was flawless, and he sighed quietly when he noticed a few tears running down his friend’s cheeks. However, Yuuri soon found himself and Viktor being thrown sideways off the sofa, the Russian landing on top of his Soulmate, as Yurio kicked the piece of furniture with ridiculous strength.

“How long are you idiots gonna sit there?!” He snarled.

“Yu-Yurio…” 

“Davai~!” Viktor seemed totally unphased by their sudden ejection.

Once the two had scrambled away, Phichit’s score came in. It was a new personal best of 95.73, and Yuuri could only think what an amazing start to his first final. Yurio was going next, and Yuuri wished he could have gone to see it. However a couple of reporters had asked him for interviews, so the only thing he could hear were the cheers. And there were a lot. 

“Katsuki, how do you feel about your short program score.”

“O-oh...um...a little disappointed but I suppose it could have been worse.”

At one point, he was pretty sure the audience exploded with sheer volume of the cheers. Yuuri had no idea what was going on out there, and he thought about sending Viktor to go and check out what was going on but…

“Viktor…?” 

He looked around for his Fiance and was surprised to find him gone. That was more than a little odd, Viktor rarely left Yuuri on his own after his program, especially when it went badly. So where had he gone now. Yuuri excused himself from the interviewers, hoping that he’d be able to find the Russian. He’d calmed down a lot since earlier, but he still would have preferred to be in Viktor’s presence. Yuuri heard Agape come to an end, just as he put his glasses on to go up some stairs. Judging by the cheers Yurio must have done amazingly, he felt kind of like a proud parent. He jogged straight the top, hoping he would find Viktor sitting on one of the seats, but he didn’t even need to go that far. Viktor was standing at the barrier at the top of the stairs, his back to Yuuri. 

“Vik...tor…?” The skater almost called out to him. 

Something was up...Yuuri didn’t know what...but something was up. He couldn’t really see the Russian’s face, but the sliver of it that was visible looked...sad. He seemed to be looking longingly at the ice as Yurio was presumably making his exit, and the expression made the skater’s stomach sink. Viktor missed skating. Of course he did, why wouldn’t he? And Yuuri was the one keeping him from that. He was tempted to back away, to leave him to his own thoughts, but through some Supernatural Soulmate link, Viktor turned and saw him. The longing expression melted away as he smiled.

“Yuri Plisetsky’s score is 118.56! He's achieved a new world record, beating that set by legend Viktor Nikiforov!”

They stared at each other in silence, as Yurio’s score echoed around them. Just as Yuuri thought, the young Russian had exceeded even the highest of expectations, even beating Viktor out of one of his records. And he wasn’t happy about it. Somehow, Yuuri managed to force his voice out of his throat, after a small cough.

“Oh I...just wanted to...see how things were going…” He mumbled.

“Oh right! Come on, let’s go get a seat. Chris is up now.”

“O-ok..”

As Yuuri followed, him up towards where Sara, Mickey and Emil were sitting, he couldn’t help but feel a little bit sick. Especially when he saw Viktor’s face when Chris came out onto the ice. He was smirking...in a way that he only normally reserved for Yuuri. He felt…conflicted. 

Chris’ skating was as sexual as usual, and he was doing very well. His jumps were flawless right out of the gate, his spins as accurate as they could be. As Yuuri watched, he heard a small gasp to the left of him, and out of the corner of his eyes he saw his smile widen; he missed competing against Chris. Well, they were best friends...that made sense, and then Yuuri felt that soft ache of guilt in his heart. That he’d taken Viktor away from the world he loved...for maybe no reason. He had that same expression of longing when watching Yurio…

Chris’ last jump under rotated slightly, but even so...the program was totally Chris. It was starting to look more than likely that the Swiss skater was going to outscore him which was...disheartening but not unsurprising. With how badly the quad Flip went...He sighed quietly, and waited for Chris’ score, which ended up being 102.37, again...unsurprising. 

“Chris! Well done!” Viktor cheered and waved at his friend.

The skater felt his stomach twist, and he swallowed quietly as his head started to hurt. Viktor was just cheering on his friend, just cheering on his friend, it meant nothing it meant nothing. He let out a long, shaky sigh, trying to steady himself. He needed to calm down. The thing that ended up pulling him out of the spiral, happened to be a foot hitting the back of his seat. He and Sara both turned around, to see Yurio sitting there, back to normal after the intensity of yesterday, his normal team Russia hoodie over his Agape costume. He took a deep breath, much like the way he had the first time he came to Hasetsu before talking to Viktor.

“DAVAI!” He shouted down to the ice.

Everyone looked down over the railing and saw Otabek getting ready to skate. A small smile spread across Yuuri’s face as he saw the boy from Kazakh look at his Soulmate’s voice, and sent a thumbs up towards him, it was extremely sweet and the older skater couldn’t help but compare it to what he and Viktor usually did before a competition. 

Yuuri had never actually seen Otabek skate before, but he knew he must have been good to be one of the first skaters to qualify for the final, but the Japanese didn’t think he was the only one to underestimate the real skill of Otabek Altin. He didn’t seem as flexible as other skaters, but he used whatever he could do to his advantage. And it worked. 

He heard Yurio let out an amused sigh behind him, it seemed that even he didn’t fully expect Otabek’s skill, despite his handicap of not being able to get his leg above his head. Though most skaters could could do that, quite a few of them couldn’t. It meant they often had to work harder, but that only meant they could do just as well. His jumps were flawless, and he never hesitated throughout the entire program. It was incredible that he’d never made it this far before. He ended with a flourish, and the crowd erupted into cheers. 

“Another score higher than Piggy Katsuki’s.” Yurio smirked.

His words sent a shiver down Yuuri’s spine, the image of his hand touching the ice flashing before his eyes again. He silently thanked Yurio for bringing up his failure again.

“He’s great! It was very exotic, and so fresh!” Viktor gasped, eyes shining.

Once again, Yuuri felt a sharp stab in his chest. Viktor liked...Otabek’s performance, which had earned him 112.38. Well why wouldn’t he, it went better than his own. For a second, Yuuri had to shake his head and remind himself that his program went fine apart from that one small blip with the quad Flip.

‘The one small blip that caused you to get a low score’ Muttered a snide voice in his head.

The Japanese skater let out a sigh and slumped down in his seat a little. If he kept this up he’d get no where near the podium. He’d probably end up coming sixth again. As JJ came out onto the ice, his mind became occupied with what would happen, no matter where he placed. He’d retire, maybe working at the Onsen with Mari, or at Ice Castle with Yuuko, and Viktor would make the wonderful come back he was meant to, maybe occasionally coming back to visit him. Yeah...that’s probably how it’d go.

He was snapped back to the present as the entire crowd gasped, as JJ didn’t do the combination he’d planned. That was so unlike the Canadian skater, and even from Yuuri’s high up seat he could tell from JJ’s face that the change wasn’t planned, despite him being able to smooth it out easily. At first Yuuri believed it was just a one time thing, a small slip due to nerves, but then it happened again; his triple Axel turning into a single. It must have been the pressure, even though he’d been to the final before, even placing third, so it was a little bit of a shock to see him crumble now. 

JJ messed up another jump, and in that moment Yuuri saw a lot of himself in the younger skater, but...in a different way. The Canadian wasn’t afraid to take risks in the middle of a competition, he can’t stay in one place in the way Yuuri was almost used to, as much as he disliked JJ, he couldn’t help but admire his skating. No one could mock him for the way he’s decided to skate, no one should.And in a way...the same could be said for himself. He’s taken on his own challenge, much bigger than one he had last year, and no one, not even Yurio, could make fun of him. Besides, he was one of the best male skaters in the world, the best in Japan.

JJ’s score ended up being 86.71, which was ridiculously low for him, and his face showed it. He’d never gotten such a low score before, it didn’t even come close to Yuuri’s lowest. The silence that followed was eventually by one voice, JJ’s fiancee, chanting his name over and over again, showing support for the man she loved. Slowly, the rest of the audience joined in, until the entire arena was filled the sound of the Canadian’s name. After a few seconds of this, he stood up.

“STOP! IT’S….JJ STYLE!” He shouted to the now silent crowd.

The crowd burst into cheers again, which was accompanied by screams from behind them, courtesy of Yurio. The overwhelming support for JJ was...kind of beautiful, even with the added screaming from the teenager behind them. 

***

At the end of the first day of the competition, the standings were JJ in 6th, Phichit in 5th, Yuuri in 4th, Chris in 3rd, Otabek in 2nd and Yurio in 1st. For the Japanese skater, it could have been better, but at the same time it could have been worse. He could have been in JJ’s position. As Viktor took him back to the hotel in a taxi, his stared out of the window, thinking. Part of him wanted to wait until after the competition to have the discussion of their future...yet he also didn’t want to wait. He just wanted to get it over with. 

“Yuyu? Are you ok?” Viktor asked, noticing his Soulmate’s silence.

“Yeah I’m ok. Just thinking.” 

“If it’s about how the short program went, 4th isn’t too bad! You can easily come back from it.” He wrapped his arm around him, squeezing his shoulder.

He nodded slowly, and Viktor dropped the subject, in favour of whispering how proud he was of Yuuri for how far he’d come in the last year. And as much as the skater appreciated this praise, it also made him feel guilty for what he was about to do. He knew Viktor wouldn’t be happy, but he just hoped the Russian would understand his decision. Upon getting into their hotel room, Yuuri asked Viktor if he could have a word with him.

“Oh, sure thing, love. Can I just have a shower first?”

Yuuri nodded and sat on the edge of his bed. He really wasn’t looking forward to this conversation, Viktor was the biggest drama queen he knew so he wasn’t likely to be pleased by what he was going to Yuuri was going to say. He’d probably get angry, and the idea of that set the Skater’s nerves on edge. He decided to scroll through his phone for a bit to wait for his Soulmate, checking Instagram to see what the others were doing. Phichit had uploaded a screenshot of him Face Timing Seung-Gil, the Korean man blushing heavily as Phichit made kissy faces at him. Then there was a picture of Yurio and Otabek together, the former sitting on his Soulmate’s lap, which was made even sweeter by the fond smile on Otabek’s face. He heard the shower switch off, and he felt everything slow as as the Russian emerged; towel over his damp hair, and a bathrobe covering him. Out of habit, Yuuri checked Instagram again, and saw Minako, Mari and Celestino drinking at a bar, the sight of the three of them together drawing a quiet chuckle from him.

“Something interesting?” Viktor asked, sitting down across from him.

“Just Mari, Minako and Celestino at a bar.” The skater explained.

“Ah! We’d better stay away from there then.” He chuckled. “So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” 

The innocent way in which Viktor asked this made Yuuri’s heart ache, but if he didn’t do this now, then he’d be responsible for killing Viktor as a competitive skater. He couldn’t do that to him, not after seeing how much he missed it. 

“Right…” He paused, thinking of the best way to put this. 

“Yuyu...is something the matter?” The Russian asked, when Yuuri didn’t say anything.

“Viktor...after the final...let’s end this…” He muttered, training his eyes on his knees rather than Viktor.

“Wait...what…?” 

“You’ve done so much for me Viktor...More than enough at this point. I mean...thanks to you I’ve been able to give everything I’ve got to my last competitive season.” He bowed his head, so now he was looking at their feet. “Thank you for everything...Viktor.”

The silence made Yuuri felt like he was going deaf, and he wasn’t sure what to do now. He’d said everything he’d needed to and been met with silence...so what happened now. The skater’s eyes widened as he saw water start to hit Viktor’s feet, it wasn’t like there was anywhere in the room it could have come from so...what? He looked up and saw that Viktor was...crying. Viktor Nikiforov was actually crying. For some reason he never thought Viktor was capable of it.

“Vik...tor?” 

“Dammit…” He tried to blink the tears away. “I never thought Yuuri Katsuki...would be so selfish.”

“Yeah I know. This is a totally selfish decision. I’m gonna retire. Go back to Hasetsu.”

Somehow that made the tears come faster, until they became a steady stream down his face. Yuuri was so in shock that Viktor was crying in front of him, that he didn’t think when he reached forward and gently pushed the silver fringe out of his Soulmate’s face.

“What are you doing Yuuri.” He hissed, no trace of that soft and familiar nickname.

“Sorry I’m just...surprised to see you cry.” 

“I’m mad ok! What do you want me to do?!” He snapped, pushing Yuuri’s hand away. 

“Hey! You’re the one who said it was just until the final!”

Yuuri was shocked by the sudden aggression, but he supposed he deserved it. In the end he’d made a serious decision on his own, without ever consulting him. 

“I thought you needed more help. And the situation changed, you know full well it did!” 

“But...aren’t you going to come back? To skating I mean? You don’t have to worry about me, I’ll go back to Hasetsu, work with Mari or Yuuko. You could come and see me if you ever have free time! I’ll be fi-”

“How can you tell me to return to skating while you retire!? How can you think I’ll be satisfied only seeing you when I have time off!? You’re my Soulmate Yuuri, you don’t seem to understand that!” He was raising his voice now. 

“I understand it perfectly!” Yuuri’s own voice was getting louder now. “And it’s because of that that I can’t keep you away from what you love!”

Without warning, the Russian lunged forward, pushing him back onto their bed with a gasp. The way Viktor was looking at him was almost predatory, very similar to that first night they were each other’s Soulmates. 

“Yuuri, you’re my Soulmate. If ever make a return to skating, you’re doing it with me!” He paused, his gaze softening as he watched Yuuri below him. “I don’t...want to lose you again.”

“Viktor…” He whispered.

He didn’t know which of them started it, but seconds after his name left Yuuri’s lips, Viktor’s mouth and body were pressed tightly to his. He wouldn’t admit it, but Viktor pinning him to the bed and yelling at him had turned him on a little...ok a lot, but seeing Yuuri in a position of vulnerability must have flipped in Viktor, because the skater could feel a hardness pressed against his thigh.

“You’re my Soulmate, I hated being away from you between the banquet and my coming to Hasetsu! Do you think I can deal with you being Hasetsu and me being in St Petersbourgh, so far away from you, now that I'm yours too? I love you, so much it hurts!” He was almost crying again.

He pulled him in for another kiss, telling him through actions that he didn’t need to be sorry. It was deep and almost painful, their teeth, tongue and lips clashing in an intense dance, conveying all the pain and loved neither of them could get across in words.

“Viktor…?” He whispered again.

For some reason, with how Viktor was looking at him, Yuuri thought back to the time Mari and Minako had a small argument, when they’d made up his sister had confessed to him that they’d pretty much had makeup sex all night, and that it was the best night of her life. He’d complained about not wanting to hear so much about his sister’s sex life, but the way Viktor was taking things he supposed it may be a good thing he heard. 

“Viktor, I...I tho-thought you we-were mad at me~!” He voice wavered as the Russian pulled his sweat pants down and pressed open mouthed kisses on the growing hardness between his legs.

“Yuuri, shut up.” He muttered, the words and tone making his dick twitch.

The Russian pushed him onto his back, lifting the Skater’s legs onto his shoulders. This whole situation left Yuuri breathless, he’d thought Viktor was mad at him, thought he wouldn’t even want to look at him, yet now he was currently pulling his underwear off as quickly as possible. Once the offending piece of clothing was discarded somewhere out of Yuuri’s sight, Viktor immediately took his length in his mouth.

“Vitya!” He gasped, tangling his fingers in the older man’s hair.

Now that his dick was wrapped tightly in Viktor’s throat, he couldn’t help but want more from him. But he knew the Russian wouldn’t want to but too much strain on his body so close to the competition, even though there were a few days of practice until the Free Skate, at least that’s what Yuuri thought. As soon as he felt his release building, Viktor pulled away from him, licking his lips.

“On your front Yuuri.” The Russian commanded.

Yuuri moved to get on the bed properly, but Viktor stopped his progress, so only his chest was on the bed. He turned around to ask Viktor just what exactly he was doing, when a familiar slap and sting went through his body.

“Vitya!” He gasped as his length brushed briefly against the bed sheets.

“You’ve hurt me Yuyu~ You can’t imagine how painful it is to hear that the love of your life expects you to go back to a way of life they brought you out of!” He paused to press kisses to his Soulmate’s neck. “I don’t think I could ever go back to the way I was before.” 

The skater wanted to reply, he wanted so badly to reply to him, but before he could even form words he felt a single cold finger slide into him. He looked back with wide eyes to Viktor, one hand level with his ass, the other holding a bottle of lube, a wide smirk on his face. 

“Vi...tyaaa!” He cried out as another finger was added.

He hadn’t expected Viktor to go all the way, especially in the middle of a competition, yet here he was stretching him as if they were between competitions. His entire body was shaking as Viktor’s slender fingers ended up finding his prostate, and before he knew what he was doing his hands were grabbing at nothing.

“Viktor! Please! Please!” He begged, trying to get his release from grinding against the edge of their bed.

“Even though you were breaking my heart minutes ago, now you’re crying my name and begging me to fuck you into the side of a bed. You’re so dirty Yuyu!” He purred.

“Vitya! Vitya please! I want to feel you inside me!” 

“As you wish, Yuyu~”

He gasped as Viktor not only pushed into him slowly, but wrapped a hand around his body to hold the base of his cock. Yuuri whined, he couldn’t believe Viktor was teasing him like this but at the same time he absolutely loved it. 

“You cum when I tell you to. Got it Yuyu?” 

Without another word, Viktor set a fast hard pace, pounding into him as if he’d die if he didn’t. Well maybe he would, Yuuri had told him that he wanted him to leave him in Hasetsu while he made his brilliant comeback, maybe he really did feel Yuuri would leave him if he didn’t fuck him into the bed. The more Viktor hit that one spot, the closer he felt to the edge, the more his dick ached as it rubbed against the bed. He knew neither of them owned toys to practice stuff like this, at the very least he didn’t, he didn’t know if Viktor had any, but god if this didn’t feel awfully good. 

“Vitya! Please! Let me...Let me…!”

“What are you Yuuri. Tell me.”

“I...I’m a slu-slut! A di-dirty dirty slut who...who wants your cum….inside me!” 

As soon as Viktor’s fingers disappeared, his mind went blank as the orgasm ripped through his body. He felt himself tighten around the Russian man, who followed suit, and the feeling of Viktor inside of him sent another wave through him, until they were both breathing heavily.

***

Once they were cleaned up, Viktor cuddled him onto the bed, running his fingers through the dark hair of his Soulmate. Yuuri had never felt so loved after seemingly breaking someone’s heart. But he couldn’t go back on his decision. No matter which way he looked at it, he couldn’t keep skating witch Viktor as his coach. He couldn’t do that to him.

“Yuyu. You’re thinking too much.” Viktor told him.

“I know…”

“Your decision hasn’t changed...has it…”

“No…I’m sorry Viktor...My mind’s made up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaayyy sorry this is kinda late out!  
> I finished it like five minutes ago!  
> I am so behind!   
> Follow my Tumblr for updates on this and other works!  
> https://thelittleleprechaun.tumblr.com/


	12. One Last Free Skate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the Grand Prix final.  
> The end of Yuuri Katsuki's competitive career.  
> (.....Or is it?)

In the end, Viktor told Yuuri that they should make their own decisions on this, after the final, but that didn’t change the Skater’s mind. Maybe his coach thought that he would change his mind after a while, though that didn’t seem likely. 

Yuuri didn’t feel like doing any public practices...at all. He knew that there would be reporters all over the place, and things had between him and Viktor since they talked. He didn’t want people asking questions, though he thought Phichit and Celestino at least would wonder why they barely spoke to each other whenever they were together. The skater knew it was too good to last, as Phichit soon pulled him aside the day before the Free Skate.

“What did he do?” The Thai boy asked quietly.

“What?”

“You and Viktor have been giving each other the cold shoulder for the past few days. I was gonna leave it be, but you look...so sad...I thought you were really happy together.”

He sighed and explained what happened the night after the Short Program, omitting the sex filled minutes afterwards. The younger man looked devastated, as if Yuuri just told him one of his hamsters had been eaten by a cat.

“You’re...retiring…?”

“Yeah...no matter where I place today. And Viktor will be coming back.”

“Are...are you serious? You seriously think after everything you two have been through he’ll want to come back...without you?”

“I’ve made my decision Phichit...what Viktor does now is up to him.” 

Phichit’s words ran through his mind for the rest of the day, and he was surprised that his practice went as well as it did. It was hard, so hard, getting through the program knowing that he and Viktor were...not fighting...not talking was more accurate. And that night, they only exchanged a brief good night before sleeping on opposite sides of the bed. He felt lonely...with Viktor not curled around him. 

“Viktor…? Are you awake…?” He mumbled.

“Da. You should really sleep though Yuuri.” 

“I’m sorry...I know you’re not happy...but I feel it’s better for both of us...I’m not leaving you...God I’m not...I wouldn’t want that but…”

“It’s ok Yuuri...you don’t have to explain yourself. Get some sleep. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He turned over and closed his eyes. At least they’d made a bit of progress, it was the longest conversation they’d had in days, and though he was happy at hearing the Russian say he loved him, he still had a hollow feeling in his chest. 

***

If Yuuri had thought the last three days with Viktor had been tense, that was nothing compared to the day of the Free Skate. The Russian was awake before him, hell he was already dressed by the time Yuuri had put his glasses on. It took the skater a good 20 minutes to pull himself out of bed and into his costume. As he looked at himself, he remembered that night Viktor had wrapped his arms around him and held him close, before they were Soulmates, before they were even lovers. He needed him now, but he thought it'd be better to keep a distance. Besides, Viktor was having to make a decision Yuuri had forced on him, he didn't want to get in the way of that. 

He'd seen on Social Media that what fans he had were really worried that he hadn't been seen at any public practices. He hadn't felt up to having people watching him, but he knew it was kind of necessary now. The one during the day had gone well, he avoided the quad Flip, knowing that if he messed it up any confidence he currently had would be gone. Viktor had kept quiet, and Yuuri would deny it unnerved him, but as he made his way to the 6 minute warm up, the Russian was stopped by a reporter he seemed to know. The skater didn't want to interrupt them, so he continued walking. 

He went through his jumps, made sure he had the step sequence down. He could feel Viktor’s eyes on him, almost as if he was trying to burn a hole through the skaters clothes which would have been...awkward. As he skated around, he took note of all the other skaters expressions; trying to see how they were feeling. Chris looked as confident as ever, Phichit looked a little nervous but otherwise not phased, Yurio looked...well...like Yurio always looked, Otabek stoic as usual, and JJ...JJ looked like he was having an existential crisis.

Once he got off the ice, he went off to the back. As much as he wanted to watch Phichit, and even JJ, he needed to do a few more warm ups if he didn’t want to hurt himself. He laughed inwardly about how ironic it would be if he hurt himself during his last performance, after all his falling it was the last performance that got him. It would be kind of funny, though he knew Viktor would disagree. 

Yuuri began his warm ups, and JJ was meant to start his program but...he didn’t move. It took his mother yelling at him from across the ice for the young Canadian to move. The older skater pitied him, he’d worked so hard to get to where he was now, it must have been hard on him suddenly crashing like this. He knew that feeling. Even doing his signature jump he had to put one hand on the ice, and he’d done the same in practice which was shocking. Regardless, he nailed his next combination jump, and Yuuri could see the pride radiating off him, then his next triple Axel went well too. He remembered that JJ’s final jump was a quad Toe Loop, and a soft gasp escaped his lips when he went into a quad Loop instead. Yuuri wondered if how he’d performed was enough to raise him onto the podium. 

‘Though my career may end today...all of theirs are beginning. Phichit, Yurio, Otabek, even JJ. They’re all going to continue to fight long after this Grand Prix...and I can’t wait to see them.’ He thought, lacing up his skates. 

The Canadian ended up scoring 213.91, which definitely wasn’t bad, but an overall score of 300.62 when he had skated first wasn’t anything to go off. Especially when Yurio and Chris still had to go. Phichit was next, and Yuuri was excited to see how he did. In reality he knew Phichit didn’t care if he won or not, he’d like to, but all he wanted to do was show the world how fun skating was. The older skater physically winced when his former roommate fell out of his first jump, but the Thai boy immediately rebounded. That was the thing about Phichit, he was nothing like Yuuri, when he fell he continued skating, he didn’t let him affect him. Luckily his next jump went a lot better, and he built on that and continued his successful streak. Yuuri hadn’t been able to watch the end of his friend’s performance, as he was getting ready to go out himself.

“Yuuri.” 

The skater turned and saw Viktor watching him. His expression was blank; it was a shock for Yuuri not to be able to read his fiance, but he waited, he waited to see what he was going to say, whether it’d hurt or whether it’d help them make up. He noticed vaguely that Viktor was still wearing his ring so...silver lining.

“Are you ready? It’s almost time.”

“Yeah. Let’s go.” 

Yuuri could have sworn he saw the Russian flinch a little, but he kept walking. He wanted to see Phichit’s score anyway, so he may as well go out early to see. He heard Viktor fall into step behind him, and when he saw the total score, 289.56, and a smile spread across his face. That smile however, faltered as he stepped onto the ice, for last minute preparation. He bowed his head, and took deep breaths. If he was going to pull back from the Short Program he needed to stay calm.

“Don’t worry, Yuuri. You can win gold today, I know you can.”

Something in the way Viktor said that set the skater on edge. It was so different from how Viktor normally was with him. He was firm, but not harsh. He encouraged him, but in a way that made Yuuri feel like he wasn’t weak for going through that brief period. But this...this wasn’t Viktor. He gripped the barrier tightly and ground his teeth together. 

“Viktor…” He muttered, not looking up. “You’ve always said...that you wanted to stay true to yourself, right? So...just stop...stop trying to act like a coach.” He felt Viktor try to pull away, but he wasn’t quite finished yet, so he grabbed the pale hands he’d come to love.

“I...I want to smile...for my last time on the ice…” He whispered, after a pause.

They were silent for a minute, as commentators continued to gush about Phichit’s stunning performance. For a while, the Skater was worried that Viktor would just end up not saying anything, and he’d have to skate not knowing how the Russian was feeling, but he soon had to stifle his sigh of relief when Viktor took a deep breath.

“Alright Yuuri, listen to me. I wasn’t sure whether I should say this to you now, but...I took a break from skating after becoming five time world champion. I’ve won numerous gold medals, at numerous competitions, and I’ve taken a year off...to coach you. What I wonder is...how is it that you haven’t won a real gold medal?”

The Japanese man looked up at him, his eyes widening as Viktor’s eyes bored into him. He felt his hands shaking, and it dawned on him what Viktor was saying. He had everything he needed to do this, he had the belief of Viktor and everyone else in his life, so all he needed to do now was…

“Yuyu, love of my life, how long do you plan on staying in warm up mode?” He paused to pull him into a hug across the barrier. “I really...I really want to kiss that Gold Medal~”

They didn’t move for a second, before the Russian pulled away a little to look at the Skater. He was still in shock, Viktor’s words still hanging over his head. The look of anticipation on his fiance’s face was priceless, and Yuuri knew he would treasure the expression, and he couldn’t help the bright smile that spread across his face. He buried his face in Viktor’s shoulder, trying yet failing to stop the tears from coming, and he could even feel his own shoulder getting a little bit damp. Before he skated away, maybe one last time, they held hands, their rings pressed together making a satisfying clink. As he skated into the center of the rink, he started going over things to clear his mind.

‘My name is Yuuri Katsuki. I’m 24. I’m one of the Dime-a-dozen Japanese male figure skaters. My career has been riddled with failure. My idol and life long crush ditched his own career to coach me. He fell in love with me. He is my Soulmate.’

Before he knew it, he was coming up to his first jump: a quad Toe Loop, double Toe Loop combination. He’d spent most of his life trying to catch up to Viktor, trying to do what he could do, his jumps, his spins his success. And in his last year, he didn’t think he could ever thank Viktor enough by staying by his side throughout it. A quad Salchow. He nailed it; hell he’d been nailing it consistently since China. 

Without thinking, he made the last minute decision to change his triple Loop into a triple Flip. It was one of Viktor’s jumps, and he remembered with a small sigh how determined he’d been to learn all of them, he even wondered how Viktor felt seeing him do it. If he was going to get Gold, his performance needed to be flawless, better than flawless even, that had been the only thing on his mind since the short program. If this really was going to be the final Free Skate of his career, then it was going to have the same difficulty as Viktor’s. He couldn’t remember when he’d made that decision, but he made it, and that was what he was going to do, whether it worked out or not. 

He went into his triple Axel, and landed it flawlessly as usual. He’d always been good at that jump, it was probably his most consistent out of the harder ones. They’d planned a triple Flip next but...it wouldn’t be enough, not now. Yuuri changed it to a quad Toe Loop instead, hearing the astonished gasps from the crowd, he suddenly realised something: he didn’t actually want to stop skating. He wanted to continue skating forever, with Viktor at his side, and he wondered if Viktor knew that too. His combination, a triple Axel, followed by a single Loop, then a triple Slachow went perfectly too. 

The fact of the matter was, Yuuri didn’t want it to end, today or any day. He wanted to continue Figure Skating, but not on his own with Viktor as his coach, but with Viktor as a fellow competitor, a competitor he loved more than he loved himself. Another combination, a triple Lutz and a triple Toe Loop. He couldn’t keep Viktor as his coach, he knew if that if he did, he’d slowly end up killing him as a skater. As much as he had no problem with being the man who took Viktor Nikiforov from the skating world, he couldn’t bare it if he was responsible for the death of the world’s greatest figure skater. 

Yet even though he planned to retire, he wanted the world to look at this Grand Prix, and see how Viktor’s love and passion was expressed through him, he wanted them to see that Viktor coaching him wasn’t a waste of time, that he could perform to the standard expected of a student of Viktor Nikiforov. And Yuuri knew he was the only one who could prove that. As the music built up, he could feel adrenaline coursing through his veins, the quad Flip was coming up. He needed to get this right, he could do it, his fan’s believed in him, his friends believed in him, his family believed in him...and most importantly, Viktor believed in him. All he needed to do now was believe in himself!

Yuuri couldn’t actually remember doing the jump itself, but he hadn’t had to pull himself up and his hands didn’t feel the usual cold sting that followed his hand touching down so...he must have done it. He supposed, in retrospect, as he went into his final combination spin, that the roar of the crowd, which was only just dying down, gave it away how it went, but he still didn’t trust his own senses. As the music, and his body, arm outstretched to Viktor, came to an end, the arena exploded with people screaming his name, cheering for him, out of sheer shock and excitement, he found himself screaming along with them, tears in his eyes. He’d done it! He’d finally done it! 

“Yuuri!” There was one familiar voice, he heard above all the rest.

He turned his head slowly, and saw Viktor waiting at the gate for him. The Russian himself had tears in his eyes, and he looked just as gorgeous as he had the first night Yuuri had ever seen him cry. Only now, the tears were of joy and pride, rather than anger. As Viktor held his arms out to him, Yuuri found himself hesitating. He knew that if he went to the Kiss and Cry now, it would all be over. 

In the end, however, he picked up a couple of Sushi plushies that had landed on the ice and skated to his Soulmate, who pulled him into an almost bone crushing hug, before leading him to the sofa so he could slip on his blade guard. Once they were securely on, and the adrenaline had finally ebbed away, the anxiety hit him like a train, and questions started to race around his head. What if it wasn’t enough? What would the world think?

“Yuyu,” Viktor whispered, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Don’t worry, da? Your performance was better than perfect! I’m sure you’ll have an incredible score!”

He didn’t move, staring at the ground as if he thought if he stared long enough it’d catch fire. What made him look up was the announcer’s voice, his name and then...his score...221.58...making his total 319.41! He stared at the words on the large screen above him, totally in shock. Had he really...was that really...His Free Skate score...had broken Viktor’s world record! A quiet whimper escaped his lips, as tears burned the backs of his eyes again. Yuuri turned to look at Viktor, as he extended a hand to him. He thought it was odd, the Russian asking for a handshake, but he took it anyway, and felt much more at peace when his Soulmate pulled him into another hug. 

“Well done Yuuri! Now, both Yu/uri’s have broken my records. As your coach, I’m so incredibly proud of you, and Yurio too. However...it’s the biggest insult I could expect as a competitor.”

It was that last word that caught Yuuri’s attention. Competitor? If Viktor was saying that then did that mean he was really going to…

“S-so...does that mean...you’ll come back?”

The Russian gave him a small smile and nodded, which filled Yuuri’s heart with so much happiness. Yet he was still left with a bit of confusion. What was he supposed to do now? Not only had he jumped all the way to first place, he’d broken Viktor’s world record! 

“Yuyu, whether you still want to retire, or if you want to keep on skating, the decision is yours to make. But all I’d advise you is wait to make your decision until the final three have skated...ok?”

Yuuri nodded, and pulled his coach, Soulmate, Fiance, in for another hug, just as cheers for Chris filled the rink. The arena filled with Swiss flags, and he could almost hear his sister and Mari screeching for him. The two women loved each other dearly, but neither for them would deny it if they found any skater attractive. The skater found himself wondering how the older man felt, hearing the rumors of him retiring, then having to watch as he gave the crowd a record breaking program.

He intended to watch Chris’ quad Lutz, but his Soulmate next to him began to demand his attention. He judged from the cheers that the jump went well, but he actually had no idea. Viktor was tugging on his arm again, and held out his phone to one of the photographers trying to get photos of them. 

“Hey! Could you please take a photo on this?” Viktor asked, with all the excitement of a puppy.

The skater smiled for the picture, but his attention was dragged back to his competitor, when the Swiss man performed a single instead of a quad Salchow, which was really unusual. That was one of Chris’ strongest jumps and to see him miss it was...unsettling. Viktor nudged him gently, and he didn’t even need to ask what the Russian was thinking. As if they had read each other’s minds, both of them took a deep breath.

“Chris! Allez!” They shouted across the ice.

Although Yuuri couldn’t quite catch his expression, it looked like Viktor did, as a small smile had appeared on his lips. He shuffled a little closer to him, and leaned into his side, letting his thoughts take him away. Viktor had said he should wait until the other skaters but...he knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to skate forever with Viktor but...he didn’t know if he could do that. Whether Viktor would want to do that.

He hadn’t paid any attention to the rest of Chris’ program, and by the time he’d pulled himself out of his own head, Viktor was leading him away from the Kiss and Cry to make room for Chris. As the two of them made their way to the back, Yuuri looked up just in time to see the Swiss man’s score on the big screen. 290.69, not quite enough to beat Yuuri, but still a pretty good score. The skater suddenly thought about looking for Phichit, he knew the Thai boy was eager to talk to him, but he was cornered by some reporters who were just as enthusiastic. 

“Katsuki, how do you feel about such an amazing score?!” 

“Uh yeah, it’s pretty unbelievable.” He chuckled nervously.

“There were rumors that you’re retiring, do they still have any weight after showing us a world record Free Program?”

“Oh well...I’m waiting until the competition is over to decide on that.” He rubbed his arm.

“What would Viktor be doing if you retired? Would he go back to Japan with you, or will he return to Russia to continue training under his former coach Yakov Feltsman?”

Yuuri paused and seriously considered his answer. Viktor had told him that he was going to come back, but he didn’t know if the Russian wanted that advertised yet, and he didn’t want to risk upsetting his Soulmate if he didn’t. The reporters were obviously getting a little agitated by his silence, so he took a deep breath, and smiled as he answered.

“What Viktor does next is up to him. Whether he stays with me or in Russia, I will fully support his decision.”

“Katsuki! We don’t know whether you heard or not, so congratulations on securing a place on the podium!” A young woman told him.

“Ah! Thank you very much, no I didn’t know!”

Once the reporters dispersed, he found himself a chair to sit down on, the news of finally getting a podium spot sending him a little bit dizzy. He’d never experienced this feeling, the rush of adrenaline from finally achieving his goal was just a little too much for him to deal with. He heard the cheers for Otabek float down from the arena, and part of him supposed he should go up to watch...but he just couldn’t make himself stand up. After a while though, the feeling did pass, and Yuuri found himself able stand up, he took a couple of steps before he realised Viktor was nowhere in sight. 

“Viktor?” He looked around.

The skater scanned the room for any indication of where on earth his Soulmate had gone, until his eyes came to rest on a familiar dog shaped tissue box cover. Though he shouldn’t be surprised by Viktor vanishing from time to time, for some reason his absence left Yuuri with a feeling of distress, especially after the tension of the past few days. He knew they were kind of ok now but...he still felt a small stab of doubt. Doubt….that was what had been holding him back his entire life. It stopped him realising his true potential, and it stopped Viktor becoming his Soulmate. He knew he could never completely get rid of that self doubt, but he was tired of letting it rule him. 

“Viktor loves you Katsuki. Viktor flew all the way to Japan for you.” He told himself, as cheers came from the arena.

Yuuri spun around, quickly looking for the nearest TV, and saw that Otabek’s score had come in. 181.19, though the Japanese man didn't know the younger skater very well, he certain he'd be a little put out. It wasn't a bad score, just not enough to get him onto the podium. He stared at the screen for a minute, until it dawned on him that if Otabek was at the Kiss and Cry...Yurio was next! His feet kicked in before his brain did, and he found himself sprinting up the stairs to find a good view. When he got to the barrier, he took a deep breath.

“YURI! DAVAI!” He shouted.

He saw the young skater shoot some one out of his sight a thumbs up; it was probably Otabek, and he couldn't help smile a little. He knew Yurio needed to seriously mess up if he wanted Gold but...Yurio really would deserve it.

The minute the young Russian started skating, Yuuri was taken back by how aggressively he was skating. It wasn’t too different from the way he skated Agape a few days ago, but at the same time...it was so different. It was as if he was really angry about something, and as he went into his quad Salchow it dawned on Yuuri why the teen would be so frustrated. Viktor must have told him about the older Yuuri considering retirement. After a flawless triple Axel, Yuuri started to wonder why the sudden change in the teen. It couldn’t have just been whatever Viktor said...Yurio wasn’t one to be influenced easily, especially by his former rink mate. 

“Could it be….”

He bit his lip as he watched the Yurio go through his program, and wondered if he was trying so hard right now...to try and stop Yuuri winning gold? That was weird but at the same time he appreciated it. It gave him a reason to keep skating. For one he knew Yurio would kick his ass into next week if he gave up without beating him to the gold at least once, and on top of that, not only did he want to skate with Viktor but the younger Russian too. Part of him imagined one day seeing all three of them on the podium. He couldn’t help but suppress a chuckle at the idea of Viktor winning bronze or silver. 

Yurio started going into the second half, and this was where he knew the teen would start to get tired. This part of his program was ruthless, and he struggled back in Russia, almost collapsing on the ice afterwards, and he was already pushing himself to what would be considered breaking point...so would his body really be ok? He had to stop himself as he realised how much of a father he sounded like just now. Around him the crowd gasped, Yurio had gone into his quad Toe Loop but he fell on the landing. Even though he immediately got up...it was shocking to see the usually flawless blonde boy hit the ice, but he didn’t let it affect him; just kept going.

Yuuri had once described Yurio to himself as a beautiful ever evolving monster, and he’d never been more right. Yurio was graceful even though he missed a jump; he was only 15 and yet he rocketed past the Japanese man in ways he could never imagine. Part of him felt rather proud. If Yuuri was in his place, after his fall he would have failed the rest of the jumps too, but Yurio nailed them with the usual deadly precision, hell he even had his arms above his head, something the older man tried but never succeeded in doing. He could almost sense the young Russian flipping him off, a promise to keep him skating, as he nailed the next combination too, turning one of the jumps into a quad. Yuuri was stunned by the recklessness of the move, but he supposed it made sense, and what did it matter, he’d landed it. A combination of three jumps came next, and tears almost rose to Yuuri’s eyes as he watched. 

As he spun to a stop, the crowd started to cheer, and Yuuri knew he deserved it as much as any of them here. He’d worked and pushed himself hard...and only to beat his Japanese competitor...to keep him skating. Yuuri felt a pang in his chest, feeling honored that Yurio felt that way, even though he knew he would never admit it. On top of that he felt...pride. So much pride for his young friend, that he struggled to restrain himself from running down to the Kiss and Cry to give him a hug. Out of nowhere, he felt a gentle hand come to rest on his hip; the sudden appearance of it making him whip his head round to see who it belonged to. He didn’t need to both asking though, as the familiar smile of Viktor Nikiforov gazed at him lovingly.

“Hey there~” He purred, seeming in a much better mood than earlier in the day.

“Hello, Viktor, so nice of you to join me.” He teased.

“Whaaaat? Are you mad that I missed Yurio’s Free Skate?”

“You didn’t watch? Then where were you?” 

“Of course I did, I couldn’t take my….is he ok?”

Yuuri followed Viktor’s gaze just in time to see one of the ladies helping Yurio off the ice. Had he pushed himself too far?! He looked worriedly at Viktor, but he just had a small smile on his face, as if their friend wasn’t being helped off the rink.

“He’s ok. He was running on adrenaline and it just ran out.”

The younger man sighed with relief as he saw Lilia and Yakov take over from the lady, who went to pick up the rest of the things dropped on the ice, and even from their distance the two of them could see how displeased the young Russian was with his fall. But as much as Yuuri knew he was disappointed with that one thing now, there was no way he wasn’t on the podium after that. 

“He’ll be ok. Other than that one fall his program was perfect.” Viktor muttered, more to himself than Yuuri.

They looked up to see Yurio’s score come onto the screen, 200.97, making his total 319.53! On the screen, Yuri Plistesky’s eyes filled with tears as he realised he’d won by a hair’s breadth, though those tears could also be for the fact that his Soulmate had 3rd place ripped away from him by the one person Yurio hated more than anyone. But away from the big screen, away from the crowd, Yuuri Katsuki also began to cry, because even though he hadn’t won gold, he’d at least come second, and that was good enough for him right now.

“Yuuri, are you ok?” Viktor pulled his head gently towards him, oddly mirroring the first time he’d shown him the Eros program.

“I’m great Viktor! I’m really great!” He whispered, smiling.

***

Getting back down to the rink, so Yuuri could go and collect his medal along with various flowers, ended up being more challenging than it ever needed to be. They were stopped a good 15 times by various reporters to congratulate Yuuri. Then Phichit ambushed him, the Thai boy a sobbing mess as he hugged his friend crying something about knowing he had it in him and how proud he was of him. By the time they got down there, JJ and Yurio were looking less than impressed.

“Where the hell were you Katsudon?!” The young Russian snarled.

“Sorry sorry! People kept stopping us!” Yuuri held his hand up in immediate surrender.

The three of them were handed bouquets to carry out with them, Yurio’s almost seemingly comically large in his lithe arms, and soon they were skating back out again, JJ first, then Yuuri, and finally Yurio. Once the silver medal was placed around his neck, the skater was shocked to feel how heavy it was, though in retrospect that made sense, it was a disk of metal after all, but that mixed with the glaring lights in his eyes made the whole thing seem a little unreal. After all, he was so used to seeing Viktor up here from the sidelines, seeing him out of the corner of his eye where he would always stand was something he’d never thought he’d see.

Once the ceremony was over, he was glad to have his feet back on solid ground, well sort of, he still had his skates on, and he was just looking forward to spending the evening with Viktor. He pulled the medal off and held it out to his Fiancé showing him.

“Well...I know it’s not Gold but…” 

“Well~ I don’t feel like kissing it unless it’s Gold~!” He sang, with that sweet smile. “You know, I really wanted to kiss your Gold Medal Yuuri~!”

“Eh? Vi-Viktor!” Yuuri gasped, as the Russian got closer, forcing him back against the barrier until he was almost at a right angle.

“I’m such a failure as a coach...Do you know, Yuuri? Of something that would...excite me~?” 

The Skater gasped as he looked up at his coach, and turned his head away to try and hide his blush. With the way Viktor had worded his question, Yuuri’s mind had jumped straight to the indecent, which was completely inappropriate for being in public. He took the Russian’s momentary distraction to come up with something else, not that it was hard of course, he knew exactly what would excite his Soulmate right now.

“Wait...Yuyu, what were you thinking just now?” He purred.

“Well...um…” 

Taking a deep breath, the Skater surged forward into his coach, knocking him back onto the ground. He heard the sound of his medal hitting the floor somewhere, but he really could care less about that right now. Right now all he cared about was Viktor’s wide blue eyes, watching him with curiosity. 

“Viktor, please stay with me for one more year of skating competitively! This time...this time I promise you I’ll win Gold!” 

There was a long pause as the two of them stared at each other, then Viktor’s eyes widened to the size of plates, and the famous heart shaped smile took over. Yuuri had never seen him look so happy.

“Yuuri that’s great!” He sighed. “But! I want you to keep going!”

“Wait, what?”

“Yuuri, Yuuri.” He chuckled, picking up the medal. “Even I’m going to find it difficult to make a full comeback after a year off whilst also staying on as your coach!”

“You’ll...stay my coach?” Yuuri whispered.

“So! In exchange, I want you to become a five time world champion...at the very least!” He smiled up at him, sliding the medal back around his neck.

“O-ok!” He smiled and nodded, tears threatening to spill over his eyes.

The Russian pulled him into a tight hug, and they just stayed like that for a while, making no attempt to move. After all the tension of the day, to finally have Viktor in his arms and to be in Viktor’s arms felt like the biggest relief. After a while though, only the cleaners were left in the rink, and it occurred to Yuuri that they should probably leave.

“Um...Vitya…? We should...move?”

“Oh! Right yeah! But...we can continue this when we get back to the hotel, Da?” 

“Of course.” 

***

Even getting back to the hotel was proving difficult for all of the skaters. So many people were determined to speak to them about their placing in the Grand Prix, but none of them really seemed that interested in talking. They just wanted to go to bed, sleep off the aching in their muscles, at least that's what Yuuri wanted to as Viktor guided him.

“Alright, I'm going to take Yuuri back to the hotel so he can rest before tomorrow!” Viktor finally sighed, pulling the exhausted skater away.

“Thank you.” He mumbled, pressing his face into Viktor’s shoulder.

The Taxi ride back was spent in comfortable silence, Yuuri’s head resting on the older man’s shoulder, their hands laced together. Yuuri was happiest like this, no competitions for a few months, he could relax...at least until he got back to Japan. The most taxing thing he had was the exhibition, and that wasn't for another couple of weeks. That was another thing that made him curious, what would Viktor do now?

Back in the room, the skater immediately got out of his costume, flopping down on their beds in just his underwear. He was physically fit, but he could never get used to the aching a competition left. He heard shuffling and grunting from somewhere in the room, probably Viktor following his example, but gasped when he felt an extra weight on his lower back.

“Mm...Vitya? What are you doing…?” he mumbled.

“Don't move Detka, I'm going to give you a massage.” 

The skater lay still as his coach began to press firmly on his back, and put him through five minutes of heaven. Yuuri knew the Russian was good with his hands, lord knew the man could push him to the edge of orgasm with his fingers alone, but he never knew he could do this. Hands pressed down and loosened a particularly tight spot on his back, drawing a quiet moan from the younger man.

“You like that huuuh~?”

“Oh shush. Ah!” 

Out of nowhere Viktor had reached back and squeezed his ass, not even gently. Not that the skater didn't enjoy it, the opposite actually he loved it when Viktor payed attention to his butt, but the suddenness of it had shocked him. He looked back to see that Viktor was no longer sitting on him, but pressing his face into the fabric of his underwear.

“Viktor?”

“Sorry Yuyu~ I just got how beautiful your ass looks when you're naked!”

“But I'm not-”

“You may as well be. God you're so gorgeous. I could fuck you all night if you'd let me~!”

Yuuri couldn't help but laugh. For the past few days very little time had been spent in this room, and very few words exchanged. The skater could only marvel at the change in his Soulmate.

“As much as I would like that Vitya, I have a press conference tomorrow morning, and the banquet that night. If I were to let you fuck me all night there would be some awkward questions. Like why I'm limping.” He smirked.

“Just the once~?” Viktor licked his lips.

“No Viktor!”

“Gently?”

“Why are you so desperate to fuck me tonight?”

“To make up for after the Short Program…”

They fell silent, as the implication of what Viktor said hit him. The Russian felt guilty. But in the skater’s mind that didn't make much sense, why would Viktor feel the guilt when it was Yuuri who had caused the fight? He opened his mouth to question him, but Viktor wasn't finished talking.

“I should have respected that you weren't in a good head space...that you weren't thinking straight because of the fall. I'm truly sorry, Yuuri.”

The skater wasn't sure what to say, that was the last thing he expected to come out of his Fiancé’s mouth. It was obvious that he was genuinely sorry for something...that hadn't even been his fault. He carefully turned over, so that Viktor’s head was in his lap, and began to play with his hair.

“You don't have to apologise Vitya. You had every right to be upset...I should have talked to you rather than made the decision on my own.”

“But I shouldn't have yelled at you!”

“And I forgive you for that. But I'm just as much at fault as you are.”

“I still want to make up for it though…”

“Mmm~ well it'd be a bad idea to make it obvious...how about~” He pulled his head up to look at him. “How about you use your tongue?” 

With the speed Viktor sat up at, Yuuri was surprised he didn't give himself whiplash or go dizzy. The Russian looked at Yuuri with wide eyes.

“Seriously? You'd let me?”

“I don't see why not! Besides, you seem to adore my ass, I'd have you'd have loved the chance to use your dirty little mouth on it~”

Speaking like that was totally foreign to Yuuri, normally when dirty talk was involved he was on the receiving end of it, but the sound that came out of Viktor’s mouth only spurred him on. Taking the opportunity, Yuuri used Viktor's momentary shock to slid his underwear off and get on his hands and knees.

“You want to, don't you Vitya~? Make me cum with just your tongue?” 

For a second, Viktor didn't move, just stared at Yuuri with wide eyes, and he started to worry that he'd said something wrong. He shouldn't have worried though, because only a second passed before the Russian had grabbed his ass hard, pulling a sharp whine out of the younger man.

“Not so talkative now~ are you?” He chuckled, spreading his ass and lowering his face.

The minute Viktor’s tongue made contact with his skin, Yuuri almost screamed. It was such a gentle touch, and yet he could already feel himself getting hard from it. He thought he might have died if Viktor stopped there, luckily he didn't, choosing this time to circle around his entrance, without actually going inside. The sensation was intoxicating, and Yuuri loved every minute of it.

“Viktor! Viktor please!” He gasped, gripped the bed sheets so tight that if his nails were longer, he could have torn them. 

Yuuri thanked whatever god or gods were out there, as Viktor seemed to get bored of teasing him and pushed his tongue in his far as he could go. In a single moment of clarity, the skater worried that his Soulmate would suffocate, but as soon as Viktor’s tongue brushed against his prostate, all clarity was gone and he could barely hold himself up. The only sounds in the room Yuuri’s breathing and the Russian making obscenely dirty yet ridiculously erotic slurping noises.

“Viktor! I need...I need to…!”

He heard the Russian chuckle, the vibrations going straight up his ass and into his dick, which was achingly hard. A part of him wanted Viktor to touch him, to let him cum, but he'd challenged Viktor to do it with his tongue and he was too proud to give up. He was so close, but just before he fell over the edge Viktor pulled his tongue out.

“Huh?!” 

“Yuuri~” He felt the Russian lean up to whisper in his ear. “Cum for me.”

That was all the Japanese man needed. As soon as the words had left Viktor’s lips, his orgasm ripped through him, pulling a high pitched moan out of him. He finally collapsed onto the bed below, and Viktor quickly cuddled up to him.

“Are you ok, Yuyu?”

“Yeah.” He sighed, then after a pause “You're really coming back...right?”

“Yep~ I get to do an Exhibition program to announce it~”

“You think you’ll be ok after not skating for 8 months?” He chuckled, exhaustion slipping into his voice.

“Oh Yuyu~ I assure you I'll be perfectly fine~”

But Yuuri didn't get to hear his answer. His body gave into exhaustion, and he fell into a deep but happy sleep, with the man he loved curled around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo this is the end of the Canon time line!  
> Buuuut I still have a few more chapters before the end.  
> Which is weird, cause it means everything else is gonna be my own stuff!  
> I just wanted to say thanks to everyone leaving comments and Kudos!  
> They're so so nice to see, and have really encouraged to keep going with this!  
> Follow my Tumblr for updates:  
> https://thelittleleprechaun.tumblr.com/


	13. Not Like Last Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Press conference and banquet.  
> Yuuri intends for it to be mich different than the last.  
> Not for Viktor's lack of trying to see his drunken Japanese boy again.

Yuuri considered himself an honest man, he didn’t really lie, but when he told people that he was looking forward to the press conference, it was the biggest lie he’d ever told. He was, in fact, not looking forward to it, and if he had the choice he would have let Viktor answer every single question. That, however, wasn’t an option, as Viktor pointed out every time Yuuri asked leading up to it.

“Viktor, please?”

“Yuuri, if you’re going to be a five time world champion, you’re going to have to answer questions.” The Russian chuckled as they sat down.

“I can answer questions! I just don’t want to right now!”

“Yuyu~ I promise if you answer some questions, you can drink whatever you want at the banquet tonight!”

“No! Do not let me near any alcohol! Then I’ll answer questions!” 

The Russian chuckled and gently guided his fiance into the conference hall. It was a pretty big room, and for a second he was worried that he’d have to spend the whole three hours standing, but he soon saw the table and chairs up on a stage. That took a weight off his mind, his legs were still aching and he didn’t want to spend so long on him. JJ and his mother were already sitting on the far right of the table, talking quietly between themselves, and Yurio wasn’t even there yet. The teen would probably be with Yakov, though Lilia was his Choreographer the old man was his main coach. Viktor sat him down on the left end of the table, as far away from JJ as they could get. 

“Are you alright, Yuyu?” He asked quietly.

“Mm hmm...Just nervous. I’ve never been up here before. I’m usually watching with Phichit in our dorm.”

“Your dorm?”

“Oh yeah, Phichit and I were roommates in college.”

“Isn’t he like...four years younger than you?”

“Yeah, but I started the same year as him when I moved to detroit.”

“Oh so like a mature student?”

“Kinda. I was only 22, so not that mature.” 

Viktor looked as he was about to keep talking, when he chair almost flung him forward, from where he’d been leaning on the back two legs. The two of them looked round and saw Yurio scowling at them.

“You’re in the way Nikiforov.” He hissed, walking by to sit in his chair.

“Good morning to you too Yurio.” Yuuri laughed nervously.

Once they were all sat down, reporters started to make their way into the room. A few members of the public were allowed in at the back, but the majority of the space was taken up by press. Yuuri bit his lip, the nerves starting to seep in, when a teenage girl, probably about Yurio’s age, came up to where he was sitting.

“U-um, Mr Ka-Katsuki! I ma-made this for you!” She held up a box.

“Thank you very much.” He leaned over the table to take it from her, opening it as he went.

Inside were some chocolates shaped like ice skates, as well as a piece of paper. On one side was an extremely well drawn picture of him and Viktor smiling together, while on the other side was a note that only consisted of a few words in slightly wonky Japanese. It was obvious she couldn’t write it, but that she’d tried her best with it, and when he finally read it tears sprung to his eyes. It read…

“Thank you...for being amazing…?” He whispered, looking at her.

“Yeah!” She smiled brightly.

After a second’s pause, Yuuri was up and jumping around the table. She was pretty short for her age, so when he did get to her he had to drop to his knees to hug her. The girl gladly hugged him back, grinning over his shoulder to probably her parents. He let her go, and pat her head gently.

“Thank you. Please, keep drawing, and keep practising your writing. You did so good! I’m really impressed.” He told her.

“Really?! One day I wanna write you a full letter in Japanese!” Her face lit up.

“Yep! One day, when you can, I hope you send me that letter. I’d love to hear from you. What was your name?”

“Laura!” She told him.  
“La-Laura.” He made her giggle when his accent made him trip over her name. “I look forward to hearing from you. Ok?”

She nodded and ran back to her parents, leaving Yuuri to go back to his seat; wiping away the remains of tears. He heard a few ‘aaws’ from the audience, and an especially long one from Viktor which caused the skater to blush. After he sat down, the MC seemed to feel that everyone was ready to continue.

“Alright, let’s get started. If you have a question, raise your hand. If you can speak English please do, if not please speak to the translator provided to you.”

As soon as he stopped talking, several people raised their hands. The MC seemed to pause; considering who to pick. Eventually he decided on a blonde woman with an uncomfortably low cut shirt.

“Plisetsky, how do you feel about winning a Gold medal on your first Grand Prix?” She asked him.

“Amazing. It was totally worth the months of work.” Yuri answered, looking particularly smug.

“We are extremely proud of Yuri. He did his very best, and we’re going to help him keep on getting better.” Yakov continued.

“JJ, during your short program you missed several jumps and got an all time low score. What happened?” A translator asked.

“Ah...well it had to happen some time right? Couldn’t keep being perfect the whole time could I? Besides, I wanted Katsuki and Plisetsky to have a chance.”

“That’s bullshit! You just got nervous and fucked up!” Yurio swore, almost jumped out of his seat.

Yakov pulled the feisty teen back down into the chair and told him something in Russian, probably telling him to watch his language. Yuuri couldn’t stop himself from chuckling as JJ finished the answer he wasn’t really listening to. 

“Plisetsky, what are you planning for your exhibition skate in a few weeks?”

“Mmmm~!” He stretched first. “Well, Lilia is choreographing it, but I don’t know too much about it yet. Should be good though.”

A couple of people chuckled at how laid back he was, but if they’d seen the teen before the Hot Spring On Ice competition they’d know how laid back he really was with his programs.

“Viktor! Is it really true you’re coming back to the ice?” Yurio groaned at the reporter’s question.

“I really am, but I’ll still be coaching Yuuri at the same time. I would never dream of leaving him without a coach~!” He sang.

“There was a rumor going that you were going to marry Katsuki if he won a Gold medal? He won silver so...what happens now?” 

“I stand by what I said~!” He sang, unaware of his comment’s affect on his Soulmate. “I have full faith that Yuuri will win a major Gold medal very soon~!”

A couple of people aawed, but he heard Yurio retching from somewhere next to him. He couldn’t really believe Viktor had just said that on a live broadcast, but then again this was the man who flew all the way to Japan and introduced himself naked as the day he was born! Yuuri sighed quietly and rested his chin on his arms, he really couldn’t wait for this to be over. While he’d been spaced out, a couple more questions had been asked, and Yurio was now hissing softly in JJ’s direction.

“Katsuki! How do you feel about your first podium finish?”

“Oh! I’m really happy. I...I never really thought it’d ever happen. But...I have to thank Viktor, and everyone who has supported me. I couldn’t have done this without him, and all of my friends and family back home.” He smiled sweetly.

He heard a few female reporters squeal at his answer, some of them muttering about how cute he was. The skater didn’t really get where they were coming from, besides he was the oldest out of the skaters on the panel, but there was no convincing them otherwise. 

“Plisetsky, your fanbase has recently picked up on the fact that your relationship with Otabek Altin has recently changed. Care to elaborate?” 

A pink blush creeped up the teen’s neck and into his cheeks, as his eyes flicked up to his coach. He obviously hadn’t told anyone about his and Otabek becoming Soulmates, and he started to shuffle awkwardly.

“Otabek and Yuri have become good friends. Seeing how he was when we first met, it’s nice to see him have a new person close to his own age he can talk to!” Yuuri answered for him, wanting to save him from the anxiety.

The young Russian looked over and stared at him for a minute, before nodding. Yuuri took it as Yurio’s way of thanking him, so he nodded back. Someone had asked JJ another question, but he wasn’t really listening. It sounded like a question about Isabella, maybe if they were Soulmates or not.   
“Katsuki, what are your plans for the future. Last we heard you were planning on retiring. Has that changed?”

“U-Um...yes. I plan to continue skating, at least for a couple more years.” He smiled at Viktor next to him, who returned it.

“I'm looking forward to a few more years coaching and skating with Yuuri~” The Russian purred.

A couple of questions were directed at JJ and Yurio after that, which gave the Japanese man a bit of time to rest his mind. At some point Viktor had laced their fingers together on the table, his hand providing a warm and calming presence. A part of him still couldn't quite believe that he was sat here with the Russian.

“Katsuki, when can we expect your and Viktor’s wedding?” The question sent heat racing up his neck.

“Um...well...if Viktor hasn't changed his mind then...as soon as I win a gold I guess…”

“Which will hopefully be very soon. Right, Yuuri~?” He wrapped his arms around his waist.

With the way Viktor was staring at him, he couldn’t help but giggle quietly which increased as the Russian took the opportunity of Yurio being asked something to bury his face in his Soulmate’s neck, pressing gentle kisses there and occasionally letting his teeth graze his skin. The sensation sent shivers down Yuuri’s spine, that were too inappropriate for the situation, but if Yuuri said they didn’t turn him on he’d be lying through his teeth. 

He didn’t feel like three hours had gone, by the time the reporters were leaving the room. He did, however, feel just as drained, and he was ready for it when Viktor guided him back in the direction of the hotel. The skater imagined his coach was going let him nap up until they had to get ready for the banquet that night, but he was suddenly being pulled off the main street and down an Alley.

“Vi-Viktor?” Yuuri asked quietly.

“Two things, I want to show you something, and I want to show you something else!”

About halfway down the side street, Viktor ground to a halt and pinned Yuuri to the wall with his body, muffling his surprised gasp with a deep kiss. The skater kissed back out of habit, until he remembered that they were still technically in public.

“Vitya. What are you doing?” He gasped, pushing the Russian back a little.

“I want to show my love the most amazing human being in the world, who I have the pleasure of marrying one day~!” This time he went for his Soulmate’s neck.

“Viktor~! We're in public!” He cried as hands began to wander. 

“My my Yuuri~!” Viktor teased

“Hardly Yuyu~ No one ever comes down here, trust me~!”

Yuuri opened his mouth to question how on earth Viktor would know that, but Viktor quickly silenced him by pressing their lips together and sliding his hand into his sweat pants. The Skater gasped at suddenly having a hand around his half hard dick and pulled out of the kiss, almost slamming his head into the wall behind him.

“Vi-Viktor! Couldn’t we do this at the hotel?!”

“Ssshh~ it’s still daylight, you’ll need to keep quiet~!”

“Can’t you wait?”

“Yuyu you look uncomfortable~ I don’t want you to be in pain when I show you the second thing!” Viktor purred, squeezing gently.

“Fine~!” He gasped.

The Russian gave his lover’s cheek an odd but gentle lick, before pulling his hand out of Yuuri’s pants and spitting into his palm. A year ago, an odd part of him would have been weirded out by this, but now he was with Viktor, and having done a lot of stuff with the Russian, and the idea of Viktor using his saliva on his cock to jerk him off only made him harder. The pale hand slid back into his pants, wrapping his hand around his length. 

“We’ll have to be quick~ but I’ll enjoy the idea of you cumming in your pants.” He winked.

“Viktoor~!” He whined 

The skater was thankful then that his lover decided not to tease him any more, especially with them being pretty much in public, but he was definitely happy that the Russian had pulled him aside for this. The feeling of Viktor’s hands on his body forced him to bite his lip to restrain himself from moaning at full volume. 

“Yuyu you’re so dirty~ Getting hard during a press conference~” Viktor chose to whisper into his ear, drawing a strangled moan from the younger man.

It was a combination of that low husky tone and Viktor’s hand getting increasingly faster that eventually pushed Yuuri over the edge. He would have been whining out loud if the Russian han’t pulled him into a deep kiss. By the time he was spent, Yuuri was gasping for breath, Viktor barely giving him room to breathe. Viktor stared down at him and took his hand back, smirking, and Yuuri could barely believe Viktor had got him off in an Alley in Barcelona. 

“Come now Yuyu.” The Russian grinned as he lead his Fiancé away.

Viktor’s second surprise happened to come in the form of a small tea shop, and the skater’s still half blissed out mind didn't register when he spoke.

“So cute.” He whispered as he sat down.

“Isn't it? They do cakes and snacks from around the world too! This is where I got those Makkachin Rice Balls~!” Viktor sang, sounding extremely proud of himself.

Yuuri chuckled, shuffling a little awkwardly as he felt the wetness still in his boxers. A part of him wondered why Viktor was like this, so extra that he had no issue with pinning him to a wall and jerking him off, but at the same time he was so so thankful that he was. The Russian was always giving him the best thrills, he kept surprising him, and Yuuri hoped he never stopped.

The two of them ended up sharing a pot of English Tea and, despite Yuuri’s attempt to say know, some chocolate cake. Apparently, this was the Russian rewarding him for doing so well, and for being so adorable with that little girl from the Press Conference. 

“It’s not a big deal, she just did an amazing job! It’s not often westerners can use any of our characters so well at such a young age.” Yuuri sighed as they waited for the bill.

“You started crying Yuyu!”

With a fond smile, Yuuri gave some Euros to the waitress who had been serving them and pulled Viktor back outside. The banquet started at 6pm, and it was currently half past four, seeing as he knew the Russian would probably take the better part of an hour to get dressed, Yuuri decided they’d better start heading back now. 

The skater decided to wear the suit Viktor had bought for him a few days ago, rather than his old one which the Russian still hadn’t got round to burning yet, thankfully. He hadn’t had chance to try it on since they’d bought it, and a small part of him was worried that it wouldn’t fit anymore; an irrational fear that he’d somehow put on weight in those few days. Once Viktor was safely in the shower, he didn’t want to change in front of him knowing they’d probably get distracted, and he changed into clean underwear first. He did not want that wet feeling when he’d be standing about for lord knows how long. When he finally got into the shirt, tie and trousers he felt...good!   
It wasn’t often that he actually felt good about his appearance when he wasn’t in a skating costume. He smiled softly to himself reaching for the blazer, when the bathroom door opened and Viktor appeared with a towel around his waist. The Russian’s eyes fell on him, before he gasped.

“What?” Yuuri raised an eyebrow.

“You’re not seriously going like that are you?”

“What do you mean? I look fine don’t I?” 

“I’m calling your sister. She’s in this hotel da?” He went over to his phone.

“Yeah but- Viktor what are you doing?!” 

Viktor held a finger up to silence him as he waited for Mari to pick up. She and Minako were on the fifth floor, the first five were the only ones not reserved for skaters, coaches and reporters, and when she answered the Russian purposely lowered his voice so his fiance couldn’t hear him. When he put the phone down, he turned to him with a knowing smile.

“Yuuri, clothes off, in the bathroom!” He demanded.

“Excuse me!?”

“Celestino may have let you go to the banquet like you’d just rolled out of bed, but as gorgeous as you were that evening, I am not Celestino~!” He purred, pushing his fiance into the bathroom.

The few minutes between when the door was shut on him and it reopened again were some of the most confusing in Yuuri’s life. However, he did as he was instructed and pulled his clothes back off, curious as to what the Russian was planning. When the door reopened, Viktor was there, now fully dressed, but he looked...different. He looked shinier. The older man held up a bottle, some sort of...bag?

“Viktor…?”

“Don’t worry we’re not using this yet. First, I’m going to sort out your hair!” 

Before the skater could stop him, Viktor was going through the method of pulling his hair away from his face, much in the same way he was skating. Yuuri didn’t really understand why it mattered that much, what is hair looked like, but he wasn’t going to stop him, especially when Viktor looked like he was on a mission. 

“Viktor...is that makeup?” He looked at the bottle and bag Viktor had placed in front of him.

“Yes my love. Don’t worry, I won’t let you look like Georgi in his short program. I wear some at banquets, as does Yurio and Chris. It’ll be fine~! You’ll look even more gorgeous~!”

The skater gave a deep sigh, before holding still to let the Russian do what he wanted. He trusted him, but he was more worried what people would think if they knew he was wearing makeup. It was hard to keep still once brushes got involved, every time he started to wiggle the Russian would poke his nose, and it got even worse when he had to close his eyes. He had no idea what his fiance was doing, until he felt his stool being turned around.

“Open your eyes Yuyu~!” Viktor whispered.

When Yuuri did open his eyes, he didn’t really look much different, only his eyes looked wider and darker and the angles of his face were more defined. He looked...pretty amazing. Behind him Viktor looked like he’d just won his 20th gold medal, extremely proud and extremely in love. 

“What did you do?” He asked him.

“Just some foundation, which I borrowed from Mari, cause obviously mine would be too pale for you, highlighter, bronzer, mascara and lip gloss~” He didn’t elaborate, but that didn’t bother the younger man.

“It’s amazing Vitya~! But why did I need to take my clothes off?”

“Because~ I just wanted to see your gorgeous body~!”

The skater groaned and batted his hands away, before getting dressed again. He loved Viktor but he was so ridiculous sometimes. Once his tie was straight and his shoes were on, the Russian went into a deep bow and kissed his hand, bringing a blush to the Japanese man’s cheeks. 

“Shall we go then, my love~?” Viktor purred.

“O-ok.” He smiled softly.

***

It seemed like the organisers had rented out the hotel’s larger banquet hall again, which made things easier when it came to probably drunk skaters trying to get back to their rooms, and by drunk skaters, Yuuri would have referred to Viktor and Chris. When they entered the room, it was already full of people, most of whom turned to Yuuri to congratulate him, and he tried his best not to look like he wanted to be anywhere else.   
His fiance ended up having to leave him to take a phone call, and Yuuri couldn’t help but remember when Celestino did the same thing, only then he was depressed enough to drink what could be considered too much champagne. Luckily, things were better now, though he still stuck to orange juice. He was watching people mill about from his spot by the wall, when the skater noticed Yurio, wearing a white shirt with a leopard print tie that he was certain Yakov did not give him permission to wear, making a B-line for him, the teen’s Soulmate trailing not far behind, wearing his leather jacket over a white shirt and black tie.

“Oh hey Yurio.” He smiled softly

“Hey...Yuuri…” That was odd, Yurio usually only called him Katsudon. “I just wanted to say thanks for what you did at the press conference.” 

“Oh! Hey don’t worry about it. I saw how uncomfortable you looked, and I didn’t want you to be put in a situation like that.” He smiled softly, noticing Viktor coming up behind him from his phone call.

“Yeah well...I appreciate it. Just don’t expect me to thank you often! Got it Dad?!” He snarled, not seeming to register what he’d said.

The other three men around him did, however, and they all looked at him with wide eyes. The blonde didn’t seem to get it, as he looked at them all with frustrated confusion.

“What!? Why are you all looking at me like I grew a second fucking head?!” He growled at them.

“Did...you just…?” It was as if Yuuri’s brain had shut down.

“Yura...you know you just called Yuuri Dad right?” Otabek rested his hand on the young Russian’s head.

In that moment, Yurio’s face went bright red as he looked up at Yuuri. The older man wasn't quite sure what to say now, yeah he sometimes felt like a dad with the teen, but he never expected him to just say it. Eventually, he scowled and crossed his arms.

“Yeah? So what if he's like a dad to me? Mine’s not in the picture so he's the closest thing I've got!” He stormed away before anymore could be said.

Otabek sent them a fond smile before chasing after him, squeezing through people to get to his Soulmate. The older skater stared at them, a warm sensation growing in his chest. Yurio really saw him as a dad? Ok, maybe he'd been a bit aggressive about it, but he'd still said it. Yuuri felt an arm snaking around his shoulders, and looked up to see Viktor smirking down at him.

“What?” He asked.

“You know what~! That was adorable!”

“I just can't believe he said it.”

“I'm sure since you helped him with Otabek that day and at the press conference, he really did start seeing you as a parent. Congratulations on the new baby boy Yuyu~!” The Russian grinned, trying to hand him champagne.

“Viktor stop, I don't want to drink!” He whined, visions of the last banquet plaguing his mind.

“Oh come on Yuuuuri~!” The two looked over at Chris, who was already looking pretty far gone. “One glass won't hurt~!”

In reality, Yuuri knew very well that one glass would hurt, because once he had one, he'd want another and another until he was blackout drunk, and Yuuri didn't want that tonight. But then Viktor was putting on his puppy dog eyes and Chris was getting uncomfortably close and as much as he wanted one…he wasn't giving into peer pressure today.

“No! I'm not drinking tonight! I'd like to remember this banquet thanks!”

He watched Chris and Viktor exchange some sort of glance before turning away from each other. Yuuri wasn't sure what to think of the silence between the two friends until an...odd smirk spread across the Swiss man’s face while Viktor drank the entire glass of champagne. The younger skater gasped as the Russian suddenly surged forward, pinning him to the wall and pressing their lips together. Yuuri would have been fine, he would have been fine if Viktor deepened the sudden kiss, what threw him was when Viktor opened his mouth and champagne started to flow down his throat. He was forced to swallow, and he gasped, already feelong the alcohol clouding his head. Again, it would have been fine, if Chris hadn't handed him another glass so he could do it again.

“Vi-Viktor…!” He choked

“Sorry Yuyu but we just want you to loosen up! You only need two glasses ok? I won't make you drink anymore.”

The skater heard himself say something, but he couldn't make it out. He started internally cursing himself for being such a bit of a lightweight, but his thoughts were cut off when it seemed Viktor hadn't heard him either.

“Sorry Detka, what was that?”

“Are you trying to make me drunk…?” He cringed, as he was trapped in his own body, as he heard his words slur together.

“What? Yuyu no I just-”

“Viktor I don’t remember anything about the last time I was at a banquet. Please...I want to remember this one.” He told him, Chris making himself scarce.

“That’s fine Yuuri, but if you’re not drinking I don’t want to make you uncomfortable if I drink.”

“Please Viktor it’s fine. Go find Chris, have a few drinks, have fun. I’ll be fine with Phichit.”

***

When Yuuri had told Viktor to have fun with Chris, he expected a couple of drinks and some laughing from across the room. Instead, he and Phichit didn’t see the two for a good hour or so, before hearing some ridiculously loud laughing.

“Was that…” Phichit muttered.

“It’s only been an hour, it couldn’t be.”

“I’m pretty sure it is…”

The two of them made their way in the direction the laughter was coming from, and Yuuri struggled to keep his head from dropping when he saw the two of them. Viktor’s tie had gone somewhere, not that any of them could find it, and Chris’ shirt was almost completely open. A strong blush was across both of their cheeks, and Yuuri couldn’t really believe that the two of them had gotten in this state in an hour.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Yurio snarled at them.

“Ssssshhhh~ Ignore him Viktor~ Yurio’s just jealous because he can’t drink yet~!”

“THAT'S NOT MY NAME YOU DRUNK MORON!” The young Russian screeched, making most of the people around him flinch.

“Yuuri!” Viktor suddenly gasped, scrambling to his feet as if he just remembered Yuuri was there. “Yuuri Yuuri Yuuri Yuuri Yuuri!”

“Yes Viktor?”

“Your eyes are gorgeous, do you know that? It's the part I fell in love with first~!” He giggled.

“Why thank you Viktor. How much have you had to drink, love?”

“Weeeell...about four flutes of Champagne, three glasses of wine and 5 shots of fruity Vodka...maybe…”

“Between you?”

“No, each!”

“Oh my god. Come on, let's get you some water.” He tried to pull him away but Viktor dug his heels.

“Noooooo I'm fine! Ah!” Another gasp. “Yuuri! Yuuri love? Will you marry me?!” 

“Viktor...we've been engaged for almost a week…” He sighed.

“REALLY?!” He threw himself at him.

“Yes, really Vitya. But you refuse to marry me until I win a Gold Medal.”

The smile shattered suddenly, and tears welled in Viktor’s eyes. Had he said something wrong?! It wasn't until the Russian sped off, making a B-line for his old coach who was talking to Lilia, that Yuuri could almost hear what he was going to say.

“Yakov!” He whined. “Yakooov! I cock blocked myself!!!”

“What!?” 

As Yuuri rushed over to try and minimise whatever damage Viktor was trying to cause, he heard him babbling various things that sounded complementary, but between the sobs of self inflicted anguish and seemingly pure love, Yuuri couldn't really tell. When the older couple started to look uncomfortable, he knew it was time for them to go back to their room. They'd been there long enough to appreciate the party, a couple of hours was the most Yuuri could manage around this many people anyway.

“Come on Viktor, time to go to bed.”

“But Yuuuuuri~! I was just telling Yakov how beautiful you are~!”

“I'm very sorry sir, I'll take him to bed now.”

Despite the kicking and muffled groaning from the silver haired Russian, the skater managed to get him away quite easily, maybe the promise of being alone with his Soulmate was more tempting that it seemed. As Yuuri stepped away, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Yakov watching him.

“Take care of him Katsuki. That boy is like a son to me, and god knows he needs more than a parental figure in his life.”

The sentimental comment almost threw the younger man for a second, though he supposed it made sense for Yakov to view Viktor as a son, he probably had seen him grow up after all. He bowed politely.

“Yes sir. I'd protect him with my life if it came to it.” 

That seemed to satisfy the old man, as he allowed Yuuri to continue pulling his fiance away, whilst also saying goodbye and thank you to various friends and staff. And despite the bigger crowd around him, he felt more at ease than last year. As he dragged the drunk Russian through the halls towards the elevators, he supposed that change could be down to Viktor’s presence. It had been a whole year since he stripped and danced with him, and though the memory forced a blush to rise to his cheeks, he was a little glad he'd gotten wastes that night.

***

Opening the door to a hotel room with a Russian, seemingly drunk on every alcoholic beverage under the sun, who was trying to take his clothes off clinging to his back was no easy task, but he got it open regardless, and once Viktor was safely deposited on the bed, he quickly went back to check the door was locked. By the time he came back, his fiance was already naked and lying in a ridiculous pose.

“Are you going to make love to me Yuuuuuri~?” He teased.

“No Vitya.” He sighed as he started to get undressed himself. “I'm going to sleep. And so are you.”

“Aaaaw~! But Yuyu~!”

“I'm not having sex with you when you're drunk.”

“I'm not drunk!” The 27 year old man pouted like a child.

“No? You forgot we were engaged.”

“Fine...maybe a little drunk...But we can still cuddle right!?” He seemed worried Yuuri would say no.

“Of course, love. Give me one minute.”

In the time it took for Yuuri to get stripped down to his underwear, Viktor was already under the sheets, his soft breathing indicating that he'd finally crashed. Not that Yuuri was complaining, he probably wasn't that far behind. He slid under the covers, spooning the Russian, arms around his waist.

“Good night, love.” He whispered, despite knowing Viktor was sleeping far too deeply to hear him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I didn't know this was gonna go up on the anniversary!   
> That's super cool!  
> Can't believe it's been a year since Yuri!!! On Ice came into my life either!  
> I hope the banquet scene is ok.  
> I didn't want to make it too long for the chapter.  
> I may do a spin off one shot just of the Banquet though?  
> Let me know if you guys would want to see that.


	14. Skating With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri has to create his Exhibition program and Viktor has a hangover.

The next morning, Yuuri woke up a little disorientated. He remembered dreaming about last year’s Banquet but...that was just a dream. A part of him had worried that the entire year had been a dream, that he woke up in Viktor’s bed, no Soulmate, no colour, no medal. However, once he woke up, and he realised that Viktor was right next to him, he calmed down a little.

The Banquet had been...interesting. He hadn't expected his Fiancé to get so drunk so quickly, and he'd soon worked out that he'd been tipsy when he made Yuuri drink. Though it annoyed him a little, he decided to talk to the Russian about it when he woke up, when he was sober. As he sat up, his fingers tangled themselves into silver hair, and he combed lazy circles through the locks as he scrolled through his phone.

“Uuugh…” A quiet groan floated up.

“Morning Vitya.” He sighed.

“Yuuriiiiii...I feel bad…” Viktor whined.

“You have a hangover love.”

“I'm Russian I don’t get hangovers…” He hissed.

“I'll make you something to help with it later ok?” 

The Russian grumbled and buried his face in his Soulmate stomach, the vibrations making him giggle. After a while, Viktor’s moaning stopped and he looked up at him, a small frown on his face.

“Yuyu...did I do something wrong last night?”

“What do you mean?” 

“I get the feeling I did something to upset you…”

“It's not...you just made me drink Champagne when I said no. Not that big a deal.” He sighed.

“What!?”

“I think you'd been drinking a little already. Said you wanted me to loosen up, but when I refused you put two glasses of Champagne in your mouth, kissed me and made me drink them.” Yuuri explained. 

“What!?” Viktor looked horrified. “Yuyu...god I'm so sorry!”

“It's ok, Viktor, really.”

“No it's not! I forced you to...when you didn't want to...Yuuri I'm so sorry!”

“Viktor, it's ok. You were drunk, you didn't really know what you were doing.”

“That's no excuse! Yuuri I...Chris and I…Yuuri...please forgive us?”

“Viktor, I-”

“I feel like crap, but we’ve got to find Christophe right now!” He slowly got to his feet.

“Viktor-”

“Come on! We’re both gonna beg for forgiveness!”

Before Yuuri could protest Viktor was dragging him , in his night shirt and boxers, down the hotel corridor. He tried to pull the Russian to a stop but nothing was deterring him from making their way to Chris’ room not far away. Once they got there, Viktor started hammering on the door in an attempt to wake up the Swiss man. It was his boyfriend...maybe Soulmate?...answered the door, and looked confused to see the determined Viktor keeping his fiance in place.

“You here for Chris?” He asked in broken English.

“Yes! Please I need to talk to him!”

“Viktor, you’re being ridiculous-”

“Christophe, il y a quelqu'un à la porte pour vous.”

The skater appeared, only in his boxers, and draped himself over the other man, who looked a little frustrated. He was probably still a little annoyed at him for getting smashed the night before. Chris himself looked like he was nursing the hangover of a lifetime.

“Yuuri, Viktor~! How are my favourite love birds~?” He sang.

“Apologise! Right now!” Viktor looked like he was about to cry.

“Viktor, that’s e-”

“Oh god, what did I do!?”

“We forced Yuuri to drink when he didn’t want to!”

“Ah shit. Yuuri I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise what I was doing.”

“Don’t worry about it Chris. Viktor’s just being over dramatic.” The Japanese man sighed.

“Yuuri! Please forgive us! We didn’t mean to upset you or make you uncomfortable! Please forgive us!”

Before Yuuri could stop him Viktor had dropped to his knees, in a similar way that Yuuri had the first time he’d touched the Russian’s hair. A part of him felt a little smug that he had Viktor Nikiforov begging at his feet, but that didn’t stop the heat of embarrassment crawling up his neck, and he considered himself lucky that Chris understood he didn’t need to do the same.

“Viktor! Get up!” Yuuri covered his face. “Please...get up...and come back to the room. Ok?” 

Viktor stood up and, after saying goodbye to Chris and apologising for the disturbance, headed back to the room with Yuuri. He felt lucky that no one else had been in the corridor, and once they got back into the safety of their room, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m so sorry Yuuri. I really didn’t…”

Without a word, Yuuri grabbed his fiance’s hand and pulled him close, silencing him immediately. 

“Viktor. You have my forgiveness. You don’t need to beg. Yes you were stupid, yes you overstepped your boundaries, but I know you would never normally do that. That goes for you and Chris. So please...stop begging...and smile ok? I love you.”

Viktor looked at him for a minute, eyes blown wide with shock, then he smiled and pulled his Soulmate into a tight hug. Yuuri relished the feeling of having Viktor’s arms around him, that safe, warm strength reserved for him. That happiness was short lived however, as seconds later Viktor was pushing away from him and running for the bathroom, and after a second’s pause, the Russian’s retching and cursing could be heard.

***

Despite Yuuri’s insistence they start working on his Exhibition program, he really didn't think the Russian could manage it. They tried multiple times to get him out of the bathroom, but every time they got to the door he'd run back to the toilet. Yuuri didn't want to miss any practice time, so he ended up calling Mari and Minako to look after him while he at least made a start on the choreography. As he warmed up, Phichit skated up to him with a hip bump.

“Sooo~ How's Viktor?”

“Recovering from his hangover. He's never had one before so I think it's hit him harder than it would normally.”

“He apologised for making you drink right? Hangover or not I'll go down there and kick his ass!”

“Yes Phichit, he even dragged me to Chris’ room to make him apologise too.”

The Thai boy hung back a little as Yuuri went into a Triple Toe Loop, struggling to come up with something. Maybe Viktor would think of something while he had his head in the toilet. 

“What if you redid Eros? Only even sexier?” Phichit suggested as he landed.

“I mean maybe. A part of me wants to do Stay Close to Me.” 

“Oooh! That's an amazing idea! It's like going back to the beginning of your best year!” 

The Japanese man laughed and hugged his friend, glad he had such a close friend. When they got off the ice, the two of them decided to go for a walk before heading back to the room, the streets covered in snow that must have fallen during the night. Yuuri marveled at how beautiful it was, but it would never beat the morning that Viktor came to Hasetsu.

“Do you think Viktor is serious? About not marrying you until you win a gold medal?” Phichit asked after a few minutes silence.

“Mmmm knowing Viktor...probably.” He shrugged.

“But he will marry you...right?”

“I’m sure he will. Eventually. You should have heard him crying to Yakov about how he cockblocked himself.” He laughed.

“You’ve really come far Yuuri.” The Thai boy smiled softly.

“Huh?”

“When you came back to detroit after the last Grand Prix...you rarely smiled. Hardly laughed. You were so so sad, and none of us could do anything to change that. We were so worried about you.”

“Ah...I’m sorry Phichit. I never meant to worry you.”

“Yuuri! Shut up!” He nudged him a little. “I didn’t tell you that to guilt trip you! I told you so you could see how much you’ve changed, how much you’ve grown...How proud I am of you.”

Yuuri looked at his friend and pulled him into a tight hug. The two of them stood in the snow like that for a while, until they started getting cold and decided to head back towards the hotel. He missed spending time with his friend like this, it was nice. 

***

When he got back to his room, Mari and Minako quickly left the two of them alone, obviously having spent more than enough time with a whiny hungover Viktor. He found the Russian curled up on the bed, he looked like he was sleeping. Yuuri sat on the edge of the bed, and gently ran his fingers through the silver hair sliding across his forehead. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to do Stay Close to Me for his Exhibition. Viktor had done so much for him, he suppose he pretty much owed his Silver medal to him. He owed a lot of things to him.

“Mmm..?” He stirred a little, eyes fluttering open.

“Sorry Vitya. Did I wake you?” 

“Mmm...No. I wasn’t really asleep, just had my eyes closed.” He mumbled.

“How are you feeling?” 

“A little better...I’m sorry I couldn’t help you practice today. Were you ok?”

“Yeah yeah I was fine. Phichit stayed with me, and we went for a walk afterwards. That’s why I came back a little late.”

“Ah right. How'd it go? Did you come up with anything?”

“Kind of. I thought about doing Stay Close to Me.”

Viktor seemed to think about it for a while, probably wondering what Yuuri would look like doing his program after his coaching. Soon, a bright grin split across his face.

“That's a wonderful idea Yuyu!”

***

Thankfully Viktor’s hangover, though it last much longer than Yuuri thought it would have, had passed by the next day, meaning he could come to the day’s practice. Other than Phichit and Celestino, no one else was there, so Yuuri felt a little more comfortable practicing Viktor’s program. It felt a little strange doing that program again, but it was a good strange that he couldn't really explain.

“Alright Yuuri!” Viktor clapped his hands, slipping into coach mode. “You did amazingly with the program when you did it at Ice Castle, but you're better now. You have a wider skill set!”

“What about your exhibition Viktor?” The skater raised an eyebrow.

“I'm sorted, don't worry about it! Now, I gonna skate through it with you. It's a meaningful program Yuuri so expression is important.”

Yuuri rolled his eyes, allowing his coach to believe that the only reason he first did the program was because he admired Viktor. 

Considering it had been almost 9 months since he first performed the program in front of Yuuko, his body remembered the movements pretty well, even with Viktor’s hands on his body. The Russian had always had a hands on approach to skating, but now his was just being grabby. As Yuuri went to go into a jump, Viktor’s hands were suddenly under his arms and lifting him with impressive strength, causing the Japanese man to yelp.

“Viktor!” He gasped once his skates were back safely on the ice.

“Sorry sorry! I just wanted to see if I could lift you!” He hugged him from behind.

“That's fine, but a little warning can go a long way Vitya.” 

They kept going through the program, Viktor still refusing to let go of Yuuri’s waist, casually talking about emotion and movement. Eventually though, Viktor fell silent, and Yuuri slid to a halt and turned around.

“Vitya? Are you ok?”

“Yeah, just thinking.”

“About?”

“The music. There's a duet version of it that might be better for you.”

They skated over to the side where Viktor had left his phone, and as the Japanese man waited he noticed the Russian’s phone password. ‘Katsuki24’. A faint blush spread across his cheeks as he watched his Soulmate find what he was looking for. When he did end up finding it, Yuuri was stunned about how simple it was compared to the original, but it had just as much if not more emotion. And Viktor was right. The original Stay Close to Me was gorgeous, but it wasn't him. This was.

“It's beautiful.” He whispered.

“I know right? Part of me wanted to use this version for my Free Skate but it wasn't long enough.”

“Hmm…”

“Yuyu?”

“You said this was a duet right?”

“Yes…?”

“And you're meant to do an exhibition to mark your return to competitive skating...right?”

“Yes?”

“Well...I was thinking...what if...we…”

“Yuuri. Are you suggesting that we do our exhibition skate together?”

So...I was thinking...What if we…” 

“Yuuri. Are you suggesting we do our pair skate together?”

The way Viktor said it made Yuuri second guess himself. What if Viktor didn’t actually want that? What if the program Viktor had come up with for himself was absolutely amazing and-

“That’s an amazing idea Yuyu!” He pulled him into a tight hug.

“Really?” 

“Yes! Could it be a surprise though?”

As they stepped off the ice, Viktor started rambling about costumes and lighting and everything that really didn’t needed to be decided right that instant. However, due to Viktor’s mumbling they ended up getting everything sorted then and there. The Russian was going to contact his old designer and have the Stay Close to Me costume he wore redesigned for him, then copied in blue for Yuuri. The skater loved the idea, and a part of him couldn’t wait to be dressed like Viktor. By the time they got back to their room, Yuuri could barely keep his eyes open. It wasn’t even that late, but having Viktor talk at him for the better part of an hour had drained him. 

“We’ll start practising tomorrow ok Yuyu?” He was excited as a puppy on its first walk.

“Ok.” He sighed.

“It’ll be so amazing, and you’ll look absolutely stunning!”

“Mmmm ok Vitya. Can I sleep now?” He started taking off his clothes.

“Are you feeling ok Yuyu? You’re not sick are you?” 

“No. Just tired.” Now he slid under the bed sheets.

“Alright Yuyu, sleep well.” 

Yuuri marveled for a minute, at the wonderful colour of his Soulmate’s eyes. He didn’t even think he could remember a time when they were grey...when his whole world was grey. He wouldn’t want to go back to that, and he was so happy Viktor had burst so suddenly into his life.

The days leading up to the Exhibition were full of practise, but he and Viktor would only start theirs when the other skaters had all left for the day. They wanted Viktor’s appearance in the Japanese man’s program to be a surprise for everyone, so although Yuuri would go through various moves, the only time they would go through the whole program would be later in the evening. It was difficult at first, as the Russian didn’t seem to want to take it seriously; trying to tickle, kiss and grope his Soulmate at any opportunity. But as the date got closer, the program really did start coming together. They moved almost as one person, rather than two separate beings, and Yuuri really did feel safe when he was in the Russian man’s arms, even when he was a good 4 feet off the ice during the lifts. 

“I know this isn’t a competition.” Viktor sighed, after coming to a stop the day before the exhibition. “But if it was I think we’d get loads of points for it.”

Yuuri grinned back breathlessly, and kissed the Russian gently. Viktor gladly kissed back, wrapping his arms around his Soulmate’s waist. It was slow and sweet, until Viktor started laughing.

“Vitya?” He looked concerned.

“Sorry I was just remembering how our first kiss was on the ice too.” 

“Viktor I swear if you kiss me while we’re skating you’re sleeping on the bath tub.” 

The Russian knew he was only half joking, but Yuuri was sure he would try to risk it anyway. It wasn’t a personal thing, if Viktor would kiss him in the middle of the program that would be a dream come true, but it was more of a safety thing. He knew if Viktor did kiss him, his legs ran the risk of turning to jelly and that could be dangerous. But with the way Viktor possessively wrapped his arm around his waist, he wasn’t sure if he’d be upset if he broke something if Viktor kissed him. He fiddled with the ring on his finger, still not really believing that Viktor had assumed they were engaged as a first reaction, but he really was looking forward to a life after skating with his Soulmate, wherever they may be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was actually the first time I've got a chapter ready on time in ages!!!


	15. The Exhibition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for the Skaters to perform their exhibition programs!  
> Yuuri and Viktor surprise the world once again!  
> But so does Yurio!

Standing in his costume on the evening of the Exhibition felt a little...odd. The costume was similar to the one Viktor wore for his Free Skate, only with slight alterations, like his jacket was blue and their shirts were black, and their matching rings were clearly visible. Yuuri looked at himself in the room’s mirror, stunned by how he looked. Like Viktor Nikiforov’s Soulmate. His hair was slicked back in the usual fashion and the Russian had covered his face in makeup again, muttering the whole time about how he needed to get Yuuri his own foundation.

“Yuyu? Everything ok?” He asked from where he was struggling to zip up his costume.

“Mm hm. Everything’s fine. Do...do you need help?” 

“No I'm ok! The zip is just in a different place than usual.”

Yuuri chuckled and rolled his eyes. It made sense that he was struggling if it was different to his other one, if they changed the Eros costume after all these months of wearing it he'd probably struggle too. He made his way over to his fiance, and stopped his wiggling by pressing his hands gently on his back, before pulling the zip up carefully.

“It's funny.” He mumbled.

“What is?”

“It's as if the costume was made for a duet. We've had to help each other zip them up.”

“I suppose you're right Yuyu.” The Russian sighed after a chuckle.

He pressed a gentle kiss to the base of his Soulmate’s neck, admiring the beautiful colours of his costume that he wouldn’t have been able to see without the man in front of him. He pressed his head into Viktor’s back, drawing an amused sigh from the older man.

“Are you alright Yuyu?”

“Mm hmm.” 

“Nervous?”

“A little.”

“It’s going to be wonderful moya lyubov. Everyone is going to be stunned.” 

The Japanese man let out a small giggle as the Russian turned and pulled him into a slow dance, leading him around the room, humming what was probably a Russian folk song. Although they didn’t really have time to be doing this now, he wasn’t complaining. The simple act of dancing with his Fiance made him feel so much calmer and ready for the program...their program. 

“Shall we get going? Yuyu?” He held his face gently.

“Yeah.” He smiled softly.

The two of them pulled on their tracksuits over the costumes and shared one last deep kiss before heading down to the hotel lobby. Phichit was waiting for them, bouncing on the balls of his feet, his face dropping when he saw the tracksuits.

“What!? Where are your costumes?!” He gasped.

“We’re wearing them Phichit, they’re a surprise.” He rolled his eyes.

“Oooooh but I wanna see them~!”

“You’ll see them when we skate.” 

***

The entire walk to the rink, was spent trying to get Phichit to talk about anything but their costumes, but that was almost impossible. The young Thai boy seemed more excited by his friend’s program than his own, but in a way it was sweet. In a way, it reminded him of how much he was loved. The skaters had been told to come to the rink an hour before so they could go over the order and everything, but a part if him was wishing they'd come on their own. It wasn't to do with Phichit, more that the nerves came back and as they stood waiting he could feel himself start to shake.

“Alright!” Said the organiser in English. “The order will be as follows. Phichit Chulanont, Christophe Giacometti, Otabek Altin, Jean-Jaques Leroy, Yuuri Katsuki...Viktor Nikiforov...then Yuri Plisetsky. Nikiforov will skate between Katsuki and Plisetsky for his come back. You have an hour for any practicing.” 

With that they were left on their own. It was hard for Yuuri and Viktor to practice together, especially the lifts, as there were so many people around, but they got as much as they could done. To make sure they got at least a little practice with the lifts, the two of them waited until the others had gone to get ready. Yuuri felt they were more than ready, but that didn't stop the anxiety clawing it's way up and through his chest as he exited the ice to make way for Phichit. 

“Yuyu? Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I just wanna watch Phichit before we go back.”

“Of course.” He heard the Russian smile.

The skater turned his attention back to the ice, hoping that seeing his friend skating, for entertainment rather than competition as was his dream, would calm him down...at least a little.

The Thai boy came on to the ice with a wide grin, waving to the cheering crowd around him. Phichit had actually shown Yuuri what he wanted to do for his Exhibition, but it was nothing compared to seeing him in full costume. It wasn't too different from either of his other costumes, only green and silver. They suited him, and a small smile spread across the older boy’s lips as he friend blew kisses to a group of girls holding the Thai flag. He had no doubt Minako and Mari were part of them. 

The music started and Yuuri instantly recognized it as another track from The King and The Skater. One of Phichit’s favourite moments, when the King takes his first steps onto the ice. The Thai boy hadn't been able to use it for the competition, it didn't match his theme, but seeing him skate to it now felt like a culmination of his friend’s life; his passion. Yuuri felt Viktor's arm snake around his waist and he leaned into him. If he was a cat he'd probably be purring, he was at his happiest as he was now. Watching his best friend skate his heart out with his Fiance pressing his lips to his head. 

As soon as the Thai boy came to a stop, the arena erupted into cheers. It wasn’t competitive, but the look of pride on his friend’s face that he was able to perform it so perfectly made Yuuri’s heart swell. He waved happily to the crowd, turning round until his eyes came to rest on his friend. A huge grin appeared on his face, as he sent him a wink and blew him a kiss. Yuuri blushed furiously and hid his face, as Viktor laughed loudly. 

The Thai boy came off the ice and Chris got ready to go on; Yuuri heard the Russian let out a quiet sigh. He looked up at him, and smiled softly. It was obvious Viktor wanted to watch his friend, and even though Yuuri wasn’t particularly bothered about watching in person, he knew there were screens in the back for them to watch on while warming up, so it wasn’t like he was missing it. 

“Yuyu? You going somewhere?” He asked quietly.

“I’m gonna go back and warm up. You can stay here if you want to watch Chris.”

“No no I can come with you.” 

“Viktor. Watch your friend.”

“Aah, alright. Stay safe alright?”

He pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, before heading round to the back where Phichit who came to meet him. The Thai boy offered to help him do a few more stretches while Viktor was watching Chris.

“You did amazing.” Yuuri told him.

“Thanks. I was really nervous though.” He giggled

“You looked so confident. It was...great to see you perform to something you’ve always wanted to.”

“Yeah, I really had fun with it. But I’m really looking forward to seeing yours!”

The two of them looked over to the TV to watch Chris, just in time to see him do a very graceful spin. The Thai boy looked at his friend, and the expression they shared told them all they needed to say. Both of them were 99% sure Chris had another orgasm on the ice, which was a less than pleasant though considering Otabek, JJ, Yuuri, Viktor and Yurio still had to go. His fiance eventually made his way back to him, immediately wrapping his arms around him from behind.

“Phichit~ you’re not stealing my Fiance from me are you~?” He laughed.

“Viktor…” Yuuri whined.

“No! No no! I’m taken! Besides~ Yuuri’s ass belongs to you~!” The younger skater grinned, hip bumping his friend.

“Phichit…” The Japanese man whined again.

“Good good! What did you two think about Christophe’s program?”

“It was really good…” Yuuri tried to think of the best words.

“...Until Chris came on the ice again.” Phichit interrupt with a sigh.

As the two of them discussed the Swiss mans’ program Yuuri spared a glance over to the screen as Otabek began his program. The outfit was very fitting of the young Kazakh skater, what looked like a leather jacket, with pants of the same material and a black shirt. It was a heavy program accompanied by heavy music that suited him a lot better than the two programs he did in competition. A part of him wondered what Yurio thought of it, and if the young Russian was watching his Soulmate from the side of the ice. That question was immediately answered however, because as soon as he stopped skating, the loudest voice that floated down from the arena was that of Yuri Plisetsky. 

“Enthusiastic.” Viktor chuckled, also hearing him.

“It’s just JJ now...and then…” The Japanese man whispered, as Viktor returned his arm to his waist.

“You’re going to do great Yuyu.” He sighed, pressing a kiss just behind his ear.

“Do we care enough to properly watch JJ…” Phichit looked at the two of them as the annoying Canadian took the ice.

“Mmmm….not really...but w-I have to get ready to go on soon…” He bit his lip.

“We can ignore him from the side of the ice.” Viktor laughed.

“Alright.” Yuuri rolled his eyes. “We’ll see you later Phichit!”

“Bye bye boys~!” He waved walked off, probably going to Facetime Seung-Gil.

When they got to where they were meant to wait, Viktor helped Yuuri out of his track suit, his costume glinting almost spookily in the half light. The Russian still had a little bit of time before he had to come on so he stayed back. JJ slid off and when his eyes found Yuuri an oddly...soft smile spread across his face as he went by. The skater looked back at his Soulmate who looked just as confused as he did.

“Next onto the ice, is Japanese Silver Medalist Yuuri Katsuki!”

He gasped as he heard his name called, and before he left Viktor took his hand and pressed his lips to his ring. Yuuri smiled softly, and kissed the same place. He stood, waiting for his opening, silently reminding himself that he wouldn’t be skating alone for long. The music began, and he went through the familiar movements he had copied almost a year ago. And though that year had been full of ups and downs, he really had come out the other side pretty optimistic for the future. In the back of his mind, he acknowledged to quad Flip, landing it perfectly, but he found that if he didn’t think about it too much he could do it easily. Before he knew it, the lights turned pink and Viktor’s arms were suddenly around him. And around them the entire audience let out gasps, meaning that they’d got the intended reaction. With each lift, Yuuri’s heart went into his throat, but he knew that Viktor would never let him fall, just as he never let go of Viktor’s hand. As the two of them spun around each other, the younger skater couldn’t quite believe it when Viktor actually pressed quick kisses to his lips, but the content expression on his Soulmate’s face, highlighted by the pink lighting around them, Yuuri couldn’t help but smile back. Another lift went by, followed by a dip and he started to feel like he was getting dizzy, but he was ok with that since Viktor had most of control. 

For a second, he thought he could hear whoever the announcer was saying something about this almost being like a wedding dance. In a way he supposed it was, the two of them dancing so intimately with each other with a full audience. Though if he was honest, he really wouldn’t have put it past Viktor to do something so ridiculously extravagant. A part of him didn’t want the program to end as they came to a stop, wrapped in each other’s arms, taking in the colours they’d allowed each other to see.

“Yuyu~” Viktor purred into his ear.

“Can’t wait until we got off the ice huh?” He chuckled, skating towards the exit while waving to the crowd.

He didn’t need to check if Viktor was following, not only could he hear the sound of his skates he could sense the Russian’s presence, and as soon as they were on solid ground, blade guards on, his arms were around his waist guiding him away.

“Viktor?! Where are you going! Yuri’s going to be skating soon!”

“They usually have a break between now and the final skater, it’s fine!” 

Once Viktor had found a suitably deserted corridor, he pushed Yuuri gently against the wall behind him and kissed him. The Japanese man chuckled into the kiss as his Fiance’s hands came up to hold his face, pressing their bodies as close as he possibly could. 

“Viktor~? What’s this for~?” He muttered, after pulling away to breathe.

“You did so amazing out there Yuyu! And...I still feel bad about the banquet.”

“Viktor…” He sighed, holding his face. “Vitya, love, that was weeks ago. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“It was to me...I promise I’ll never do that again! I swear Yuyu!” He seemed so serious.

“I know Vitya. I trust you, ok?” 

The Russian pressed their foreheads together and sighed. A part of Yuuri wished Viktor wouldn’t beat himself up over it, but at the same time he really felt his Soulmate’s love come through. That pure love that he didn’t feel from anyone else.

“Yuuri…?”

“Hm?”

“Move in with me. In Hasetsu, in St Petersburg, wherever.”

“Are...you serious…?” 

The Russian nodded slowly, and tears sprung to the younger man’s eyes. He’d never imagined that Viktor would want to live with him! And yes, he knew they were Soulmates...but he hadn’t expected him to suggest it so soon. He smiled brightly and nodded back, trying to stop the tears of joy from falling. Suddenly Viktor was crying too, and they stood there, like a couple of crazy people, laughing through tears in each other’s arms. 

“Let’s go and watch Yuri ok?” He said eventually as he kissed his cheek.

“Ok.” He smiled softly, tangling their fingers together.

They made their way back out to the side of the ice just as Yurio skated out wearing...leather pants, sunglasses, a tank top and a purple blazer? Both of them were 99% sure that Lilia or Yakov hadn’t chosen that for him, and that feeling only increased when the music started. Instead of that classical music they’d been expecting, a metal track that...actually suited the young skater, started playing. 

“Are those...my sun glasses…?” 

Upon closer inspection, Yuuri did indeed recognize those glasses, having seen them multiple on TV and in person in recent months. That was a shock, neither of them even knew how Yurio had gotten them. The program itself was...interesting, the jumps and spins a large contrast from what they were used to seeing the blonde perform. They knew how flexible the teen was, but seeing him do the splits in mid air was the last thing they expected. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuuri noticed Otabek standing on the side of the ice watching his Soulmate, which he found a little odd, until Yurio stopped skating...and literally flung Viktor’s glasses to the back of the rink.

“What the hell!?” He screeched.

The Japanese man laughed and turned his attention back to the younger skater, as he skated up his Soulmate and held his hand out to him. The Kazakh skater pulled a fingerless, black, leather glove of his hand, then an intense spread across his cheeks...as the Russian pushed other hand into Otabek’s mouth...and he pulled the glove off with his teeth. 

“What is he doing!?” Viktor looked like he was about to faint.

“He’s being himself.”

Although Yuuri didn’t know Yurio very well, it was very clear that he only did the programs Yakov, Viktor and Lilia choreographed for him because they fit his image. That was obvious from their first competition back in Hasetsu. Yurio had wanted to do Eros, and despite being unable to actually see the young teen doing the program, he understood why he wanted to. It allowed him to be more aggressive and more feisty, after so long of doing one genre. He understood that, he himself had never gone out of his comfort zone until this season. Until Viktor. Yuuri wondered, if this sudden change in Exhibition was down to a specific person, a specific person who was currently pointing a finger gun at the blonde, who closed his black painted eyes and dramatically collapsed onto the ice, shirt riding up.

“I can’t believe I just watched that! Yuuri can you...Yuuri?” 

He hadn’t realised he was smiling, and when the Japanese man turned to look at his fiance, he took a deep breath before looking back to Yurio, who was climbing to his feet and waving to his fans, who were screeching as if their lungs were going to burst. 

“Are you alright Yuyu?”

“Yep. I feel...happy. He did amazing. Come on Vitya, let’s go meet him.” He took his hand.

Viktor still seemed in shock from the teen, so Yuuri ended up having to drag him to where Otabek was helping him off the ice. When he saw them, Yurio smirked and wrapped his arms around Otabek’s waist.

“What did you think? Great right?” He grinned.

“How could...you’re 15! You shouldn’t be doing programs like that!” Viktor gasped.

“I think you did really well. Though the fingers-in-mouth part was a little excessive.” Yuuri chuckled.

“Yeah well. If you can surprise people by having your Soulmate come out onto the ice why can’t mine pull my gloves off?” 

“He has a point.” The Japanese man sighed as Viktor let out sounds resembling a pterodactyl.

“I...you guys did good too...it looked amazing…” He muttered.

Yuuri knew full well the older Russian wasn’t listening, and he remembered what Yurio had told him at the banquet, so what time was better than now to take that role. Upon remembering, he began to wonder where Yurio’s parents were, but decided now wasn’t the time to ask. He put his hand the the blonde’s head and smiled.

“I take that was a last minute change hm?”

“Yeah...I wasn’t sure how it was gonna go.”

“Well it worked brilliantly. I’m very proud of you Yuri.” 

The young Russian blushed faintly, and Viktor had finally stopped making whatever inhuman creature he was imitating noises. After a second of silence, Yurio looked away and scowled at the floor.

“Thanks...that means a lot………..Dad…” 

Another second passed, and suddenly Yurio had let go of his Soulmate and had latched onto Yuuri. At first he froze, unsure how to react. He hadn’t anticipated the young Blonde to hug him, especially after his response for Yuuri trying to hug him after the Rostelecom. This was...a nice change.

“Yuriooo~! Does that make me your Papa too~!” Viktor sang, forcing the younger Russian to pull away from Yuuri a little. 

“Shut up old man. Just because Katsudon is nice enough to be considered a dad, doesn’t mean you are too!” He snapped, drawing a laugh from the older man. 

“As much as I hate to break up such a loving scene~ We need to go back out there~!” A new voice sang.

They all looked round and saw Chris, Phichit and JJ watching them, having potentially heard the entire exchange between the two Russians and Yuuri. The younger boy went bright red, blushing all the way down to his chest. Phichit tackled hugged his friend, almost knocking him off his skates, rambling something about being so proud of him and how romantic and amazing their skating was. 

“Ready to go?” Yuuri smiled down at the young skater, who nodded.

Yurio went out onto the ice first, and Yuuri followed after Viktor wrapped his arm around it’s rightful place at his waist, and the 6 finalists (and Viktor) went out the greet the crowd. They were the last to perform, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Mila and Sara skate on with the other Women’s finalists. He felt a little pang of guilt that it should be Mickey coming on with them instead of him, but a quick squeeze from his fiance calmed his anxieties...for now. 

***

The final ten minutes were filled with cheering and plush toys and “fan chants” that Yuuri was pretty sure was mainly for Yurio. He looked over at the young Russian, and despite his intense makeup and outfit, this was one of the rare occasions that he actually looked his age. Beaming out at the people around him, one arm around Otabek and one around Yuuri, it kind of felt like they really were a family. 

Once the whole event was over, and the skaters were back in their hotel rooms, Yuuri finally processed the conversation he and Viktor had before Yurio’s exhibition. He sat on his bed while the Russian was in the bathroom and looked up at the ceiling. Viktor had asked him to move in with him...but did he really mean it? Maybe it was just something he said in the heat of the moment? Would that mean he’d be moving into Viktor’s apartment!? Yuuri started to feel light headed, the whirlwind of thoughts in his head disorientating him. He dropped his head between his knees and took deep breaths, waiting for it to pass.

“Yuyu? Are you alright?” Viktor said from the bathroom door.

It hadn’t passed by the time he came in, so he ended up waving casually to him, hoping he’d get the message that he was fine. The Russian, however, was not the best at picking up hints, so he immediately came over, ignoring the fact that he was in a towel, and held his head gently.

“Deep breaths ok? You’re safe. I’m here. I love you.”

“Viktor! I’m ok! I just got a little bit dizzy.” He chuckled, slowly bring his head up.

“You...were dizzy?”

“Just...did you mean it? When you said you wanted me to move in with you?” 

“Of course I did Yuyu! Why wouldn’t I?! Would you prefer to come to Russia or stay in Japan.”

He thought hard about it.Staying in Japan meant that he’d be surrounded by his family, his and Viktor’s family. At the same time...living in Russia would mean having his own space, his own space with Viktor. The idea sent a shiver down his spine, but like most times Viktor made him shudder, it wasn’t unpleasant. And as hard as it would be to leave his family, having a home with the person he wants to spend the rest of his life would be...amazing.

“I think...I’d like to live with you...in Russia.” He muttered.

“Re-really? We don’t have to! I don’t mind moving to Japan!”

“Viktor. I meant what I said. I want to live in Russia with you.”

The smile that flooded across Viktor’s face melted Yuuri’s heart, and he pressed their lips together. It started off slow, sweet and loving, but quickly dissolved to something heated and passionate. The Russian crawled forward, pushing Yuuri back onto the bed, his towel falling away as he slowly pulled off his Soulmate’s clothes. He’d changed out of his costume into sweatpants and a t-shirt once Viktor disappeared into the bathroom. But the shirt didn’t stay on long, and soon Viktor began press his mouth to the slowly growing bulge.

“Mmmm~ Yuuri~! You look so good in Sweatpants~!” He purred.

“A-aah~! Vi-Vitya~!” 

The feeling of Viktor’s tongue on his dick sent Yuuri’s brain into overdrive, and cut his voice off in his throat. He needed to find a way to get Viktor to take the rest of his clothes off, but he couldn’t get the words up and ended up just thrusting his hips up into the Russian’s face.

“Impatient Yuyu~?” He chuckled.

“Ple-please!” He gasped.

He was painfully slow about it, but eventually he did get them off, making him hiss as surprisingly cold air hit his crotch, making him whine. The Russian smirked, and he licked a long streak all the way up his length, sending shocks of pleasure through his body.

“Vitya! Vitya! Please! I need to…!” He gasped, as the Russian took him into his mouth.

Yuuri gripped the bed sheets with one hand and Viktor’s hair with the other, tugging gently every so often, every time the Russian reached his end. He found it so hard, so so hard not to move his hips up into Viktor’s mouth, as beautiful as it could look, he didn’t want to push the Russian for fear of making him joke. As he felt his orgasm building, eyes closing, he felt the Russian squeeze his thigh. Yuuri forced his eyes open and looked down at him as he pulled off.

“Yuyu? I want to try something.” He whispered.

“Wha-what is it?” 

“Would...would it be alright...if you fucked my mouth?”

He looked down with wide eyes, the fact that Viktor had even asked that of him pushed him a step further towards the edge. The idea of fucking Viktor’s mouth was...extremely erotic, and he found himself really, really wanting to do that. He stroked Viktor’s hair for a minute, before nodding slowly.

“Want me to take full charge huh~?” He mumbled.

“Oh god please~” 

“You want me to fill your whore mouth with my cock huh?” The words sounded word, but Viktor loved it.

“Oooh Yuuri~!” He groaned.

Yuuri gently pushed Viktor’s head down onto his dick then groaned loudly as the Russian took him into his mouth, and it only took him a few seconds before his hips began to move seemingly of their own accord. The noises his Soulmate was making only accompanied by the sounds of Yuuri’s laboured breath. The Russian somehow managed to look up at him, and the innocent look combined with the completely dirty situation was what pushed him over the edge.

“Viktor!” He gasped, coming into his Soulmate’s mouth.

He’d seen the Russian swallow his load before, but lord if he didn’t look so good doing it now, he was the biggest liar on the planet. Yuuri gasped for breath looking down as the Viktor wiped his mouth and smirked up at him.

“Woow~!” He giggled.

“Shush.” He sighed, feeling exhaustion set in.

“Time for bed now?” 

“Mmmm...but what about you?”

“I’m fine. You should sleep.” He cuddled up to the Japanese man, pressing gently kisses to his cheek.

“Mmmm~”

“Sleep now ok? I love you.”

“I love you too, Vitya.” Yuuri sighed, his eyes slowly closing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the second to last chapter!  
> I'm kind of stunned that it's actually over next week!  
> But!   
> The sappy thank you's will be in the notes of next chapter!   
> I know it's a little later than normal...but it's here!


	16. The Rest of Our Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story comes to an end,  
> But their lives together will continue for years.

In the end, it was a good few months before Yuuri could even think about moving to Russia with Viktor. With both Russian and Japanese nationals taking place one after the other, once the two of them got back to Japan after the Grand Prix, it was immediately into improving the Programs for that, as well as creating Viktor’s. The Japanese man was shocked at the level of involvement the Russian demanded he have in the meaning behind the choreography and the music, not unhappy with it just shocked.

“So? What do you think Yuyu?” He beamed over to where his Soulmate was leaning against the barrier.

“It's looking good Vitya! Really, if you keep practicing then by the time we get to Russia, Yakov won't have any work to do.” He chuckled.

They'd decided that it would be better for them to do the move once the off season had started and there were no competitions for a while. That meant Yuuri would have time to settle in the apartment and Russia himself, he honestly had no idea how he was going to handle any shopping. He could speak enough Russian to get by (he'd never admit it, but he'd started learning Russian in hopes of speaking to Viktor), but the alphabet was confusing so he was hopeless at reading it. They'd spoken to Hiroko and Toshiya about the idea, and for a while Yuuri worried they wouldn't want him moving so far away to a foreign country, but they were more than happy to allow it.

“We can see how happy you make Yuuri. And when you told us you were engaged...well...we expected to be having this conversation at some point. Just stay safe, and Viktor please look after him. You know Yuuri well by now. Please don't give us any reason to think our Yuuri might be hurting.”

His mother gave the whole speech, the under toned threat was obvious, but even as his father sat there, Yuuri knew he agreed. He was their only son so he supposed it made sense for them to be protective. The younger man looked up at Viktor, worried his mother’s words had scared him, but the Russian was only grinning as bright as usual.

“Don't worry! Yuuri will be perfectly safe with me.” 

“I'm glad to hear it.” The woman smiled.

After that they went into competition mode enthusiastically. Viktor, determined to prove that he was still the best despite the time off, and Yuuri, determined to win his first Gold Medal. The Russian said his theme was change, and Yuuri didn't really get it at first. Until he realised he meant changes in the way he skated, stopping the constant surprise and just doing what he wanted, and changes in the way he lived. He let people into his life, he let people get truly close to him. The first time the younger skater had seen both programs one after the other, he'd almost started crying.

***

Between the Four Continents and the World Championships, Yurio turned 16, and when asked what he wanted to do for it, everyone who knew him could safely say they were more than a little shocked when he said he wanted to go back to Hasetsu. Viktor, the two Yu/uri’s, Mila and Georgi had gone to Yakov’s house after the competition in Korea to congratulate Yuuri’s Gold, Phichit had won his first Silver with Seung-Gil getting Bronze much to his Soulmate's delight, and the subject had been brought up by Lilia. 

“Are you sure? I’d have thought you’d want to stay in Russia, especially with the Worlds so close?” Yakov raised an eyebrow.

“Yes! I want to have my birthday in Japan! With Hiroko and Yuko and the triplets and Beka and Daa…..and Katsudon and the old man and the hag and Georgi. I made so many friends there and I really grew as a person. Besides...it’ll be a lot more private there.” He pouted.

In the end it was Yakov who properly consented to his idea, Yuuri merely nodded when the old man asked if that’d be alright with his parents. Yuuri was heading back to Japan the next day, as he did between competitions, the Russian trusting him to keep up his training while he was in his own qualifiers and competitions. It was hard, not being with him, but Viktor made sure to call him every evening.

“ _Yuuuuriiii I miss you~! _”__

“Viktor I saw you 12 hours ago.” He chuckled.

_“Yeah! 12 hours to many! And besides I’m not gonna see you again till Worlds!”_

“Viktor.” He sighed, smiling. “You’ll see me when you come for Yurio’s birthday. I spoke to Mom about that by the way. She’s perfectly happy to close the Onsen for a couple of days."

 _“Ah! That’s great! I’ll tell him now! YURIO! YUURI SAID YOU CAN HAVE YOUR BIRTHDAY AT THE ONSEN!_ ” He shouted, shocking Yuuri into almost dropping the phone.

There was a little bit of shuffling, and odd screeching noises that he wasn’t sure if it was Viktor or Yurio, until the young Russian got the phone.

_“Oi Katsudon, tell your Mother thanks. I really appreciate. And please get here soon! Papa won’t stop whining and making me stay at his apartment.”_

“Well, it’s less than a month until World’s and then I should be there to relieve you of your Viktor-caring duties.” He laughed, picking up on the fact he called Viktor Papa but not mentioning it.

_“Good! I don’t know how much longer I can deal with him...alone at least.”_

“I’ll be there soon ok? Am I right in thinking Viktor’s making room in his wardrobe?”

_“Um...no? Hold on. OI! OLD MAN! You making room for Katsuki’s clothes or what?!”_

_“Um...yes?”_ Yuuri heard a quiet unsure voice float down the phone. 

_“That’s a no. I’ll make sure he does.”_

“Thanks Yuri.”

_“Also...thanks for not calling me Yurio anymore...And sorry I keep calling you Dad._ ” That last part was muttered; he could practically hear him blushing. 

“It’s alright. If you want to call me that, it’s fine! You mentioned not having a Father figure so if I can be that for you then…”

_“Thanks.”_

“Actually...while I have you, Yuri. What...happened to your parents? I know you live with your grandfather but…”

_“It’s not interesting. My dad died and my mother couldn’t care for me. That’s all there is to it. She kept saying she’d come to my competitions but I haven’t seen her since.”_

“I’m...that’s so sad...I’m sorry for asking.”

_“Don’t be. Not like you’re going to sell it to the media are you. I’ll hand you back to Viktor now. See you at Worlds...Dad.”_

Yuuri smiled as he heard the phone being exchanged again. He hadn’t been expecting such a pleasant conversation with the young Russian, but he was happy that he’d been able to. Viktor eventually picked the phone back up.

_“He called you Dad.”_

“He called you Papa.”

_“Did he tell you?”_

“Yeah. Did you know?”

 _“His grandfather told me when he first started skating with us. He asked Yakov and I to look after him as much as he’d let us. He doesn’t know that though.”_ There was a pause. _“Hey Yuyu? I was thinking of asking him to live with us. Maybe just before the Season starts up again.”_

“Yeah that’s a lovely idea Viktor. But will he want to leave his Grandfather?”

_“I’ve spoken to Nikolai about it. He doesn’t want him to stay with him all his life, but he doesn’t want him to be alone. He’s an old man Yuuri, he’s struggling to care for him, even with the money Yurio earns from skating. If we can convince him to live with us, Nikolai won’t need to worry.”_

“Alright. Well, try your best to talk to him until I get there yes?”

_“Da moya Lyubov~! Stay safe on your way to Helsinki, ok?”_

“Yeah, you too. Ya tebya lyublyu.” He spoke in broken Russian, he’d been practicing a lot since the Grand Prix and was getting better, even though his accent made it a little difficult.

 _“Aishiteru yo~”_ Viktor responded, whose own Japanese was getting much better.

After that they hung up, and the Skater felt an odd empty feeling, as he often did after hanging up the phone. Yuuri sighed and put his phone down, getting ready to go and help his mother around the Onsen for a while.

***

By the time the season had ended, he'd finally achieved one gold medal at the World Championships, and Viktor earned his first bronze. Yurio had come in second, and he'd heard one of the reporters joking with the Russians that the skating scene would just be a fight for fourth until Yuuri and Viktor retired. Phichit had won that title, proudly lifting his friend off his feet.

“YOU DID IT YUURI YOU WON GOLD I'M SO PROUD OF YOU NOW YOU CAN MARRY VIKTOR!!!!”

The older man didn't catch a lot of what he was saying, but what he did pick up made him smile like an idiot. He hugged his friend back, realising that Phichit was right. Viktor said they'd think about getting married after he won gold. Naturally this got brought up at the press conference, which was a little awkward since Viktor had to answer questions about himself and Yuuri.

“Viktor! Since Katsuki won his first gold does that mean we can expect a wedding sometime soon?”

“Nothing’s set in stone yet, but we have a few ideas!”

The room filled with coos of excitement that sent all of the blood in Yuuri’s body went straight to his face. He could even feel Yurio getting more and more annoyed with how many questions were directly about their relationship, and he kind of felt them same. About 20% were actually about the skating and competition.

When they got back to the hotel, Yuuri collapsed and cuddled into Viktor’s arms. That was it, their last competition of the season. There were a few others still ongoing, but they were mainly pairs, juniors and domestic competitions that he only really competed in as a kid, so for him and Viktor it was over...at least until next September. The Russian pressed his lips to the top of Yuuri’s head and sighed.

“Yuyu, you're thinking again.”

“Just thinking about what happens now. It feels like we've been travelling for ages. What...what happens now? It feels...strange to come out of the season with a medal...let alone a gold one.”

“Well...we could go back to Japan for a week, and work on getting you to Russia.” He squeezed him gently.

“Getting me to Russia huh…” He sighed pensively. 

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yuuri? Are you having second thoughts? We can stay here if you want!” He pulled his face to look up at him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“No! No Russia is fine! It's just...going to be strange not having to share a bath with at least 5 other people.” He laughed, resting his head just under his chin._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“You may have to share it with me, and maybe Makka.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________Yuuri rolled over and pressed gentle kisses to his chest and collar. He’d never felt so loved than when he was with Viktor, and even though he was nervous about moving to a foreign country, with a totally different language, currency, culture...he was excited for it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“So, what’s the plan for the move?” He smiled softly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Well, I was thinking we get back to Japan on Monday, and we try and get all of your things packed by the end of the week. We fly out to Russia on the Sunday, we should be at the main airport in St Petersburg by Monday, and my apartment by midday! I’ll pay for the transporters to bring your stuff over~!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Viktor you don’t have to-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yuuri, love of my life, my prince, my angel. Do shut up. I’m taking you away from your family, your friends. It’s the least I could do.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“You’re hardly taking me away Vitya. I am coming by choice.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“I know but still!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Vitya.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________The Russian said nothing, taking in his fiance’s face before chuckling softly and wrapped his arms around the younger man. For a while they just stayed like that, wrapped up in each other’s presence, that was until Viktor hummed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“I was thinking. Do you want to get married in Japan?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Ja...pan? Why?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Well. Why not? It’s your home town. It was the start of our journey together, it’s the place where you recovered, it’s the place where I found a new life and love. We can come back in the spring between competitions, you can walk down the aisle with your Mother or Father, Yurio can be my best man, the triplets can be Flower Girls, Yuuko and Mari can be grooms...maids….? We can invite all our skater friends!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yeah.” Yuuri chuckled. “That’s a brilliant idea.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________The two of them snuggled together, staying as close as they possibly could to each other. It had only been a month, but they weren’t used to spending so much time apart, the longest period being when he left halfway through the Rostelecom Cup, and that wasn’t by choice. But they were together now, and next spring they’d be together for the rest of their lives._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________***_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________The week of getting to Japan and starting the moving process was the most hectic week of the Japanese man’s life. They made the rather one-sided decision that Viktor would pack all of Yuuri’s clothes and Yuuri would handle everything else. So over the course of two days Yuuri managed to get his posters, pictures, laptop and everything else apart from his clothes. Thursday rolled around, and Yuuri went in his closet to check that he hadn’t left anything in there, when he saw that 90% of his clothes...were still on their hangers._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“What the…” He frowned. “Viktor!?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________The Russian sped into the room, a bright smile on his face, as if he wasn’t trying to leave the majority of his clothes in Japan when they’d be in Russia in three days._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yeees my love~?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“I thought you were packing my clothes?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“I did! They’re in the suitcase?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Then why are most of them still in here?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________Viktor looked round into the wardrobe, and his face dropping as if he believed he could get away with it. Yuuri had figured his Soulmate would pull something like this, the man wore what was probably millions of Yen’s worth of clothes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“But...But Yuyu I can get you better clothes ok? Please don’t bring these~!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Viktor, I think the only thing’s you’ve put in my case are my skating clothes.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yuuri I promise I will replace all of them! They can even go to a charity shop! Pleeeaaase Yuyu! I want my Soulmate, the love of my life, to look as gorgeous as he really is!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________Yuuri took a deep breath and closed his eyes, then slowly let it out. As much as he loved the man to bits, he was so over the top with the way he showed his love, but the Japanese man wouldn’t have it any other way. He stretched, letting his joints crack, before lowering his arms around the Russian’s neck._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Alright, Vitya. But, you have to replace everything you’re leaving. Ok?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yes, yes of course I will!” He grinned._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________***_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________Stepping into Viktor’s apartment was something like a dream for Yuuri. Very little was known about the Russian’s personal space, so the feeling of walking into his...their...apartment. It was clean, though it was obvious he hadn’t been there for a while since everything had a thin layer of dust on it, and everything looked to be in the right place._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“I uh...I made sure I tidied up before Worlds...I guess there wasn’t much point in that now...but make yourself at home! This is your home now.” He grinned down at him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________Yuuri looked around, not really sure how to feel. This place...was tied to Viktor. He’d lived here for so long, alone. This was where he probably would have seen Yuuri skating his Free Program for the first time, this was where he cuddled Makkachin, this was where….he spent so many nights alone. The idea of Viktor being alone actually brought a tear to his eyes, it was obvious his parents didn’t leave here with him, and probably never did. Yuuri took a few steps in and noticed a picture frame on a cabinet next to the door. In it was a man, a woman and a child, and surprisingly it was the man he recognised first. He looked a lot like Viktor, only his blue eyes were colder than his Soulmate’s, so he figured it was his father. Then there was the woman, whose long silver hair was jarringly familiar, was smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes. It was extremely forced; almost unsettling. Finally, his eyes fell to the child on her knee. Shoulder length silver hair, bright blue eyes, familiar heart shaped grin. If he hadn’t known that he was looking at Viktor as a child he’d have assumed he was looking at a little girl. The child looked so happy, like he didn’t even feel the coldness coming from his parents. Yuuri felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Viktor staring at the picture as well, his face blank._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“These are…” Yuuri mumbled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“My parents. Alyona and Taras Nikiforov.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“You look a lot like them.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yeah. Except I smile a lot more.” He smirked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Do you still talk to them?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Sometimes. Very rarely. Sometimes I miss them, they...they weren’t always so busy.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Mmm...do you think they’d come to our wedding?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“I’ve got no idea. They knew I was Bisexual, they were surprisingly ok with it for...you know...Russia. But I don’t know how they’d feel about marrying a man.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Japan doesn’t recognise Same-Sex marriages either.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Not true, I looked online. They allow it in the case of Soulmates.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Fair enough. But still. Russia doesn’t. At all.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Mmm...I know. But anyway, I don’t really care if my mother and father come. As long as yours are there~!” The tone suddenly shifted, and Viktor grabbed his waist._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________The Japanese man squealed as his fiance lifted him up and spun him round, the feeling was so natural now after months of doing lifts for their exhibition, and it felt even better doing it in Viktor’s home...his home now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“How about I show you around~ Da?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Viktor, it’s a two bedroom apartment.” He chuckled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“I know, but I want to show you everything~!” He purred._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________Viktor ended up carrying from room to room, showing him the sitting room, the kitchen, the bathroom, the room that would probably end up being Yurio’s room, and then their room. This was where he put him down and placed his hands on his waist, a gentle smirk. Yuuri felt himself blush, as the Russian licked his lips._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“And this...is our room.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“It’s very nice.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“You think so? You been thinking about my bedroom a lot huh~?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Maybe.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“What did you think about hm?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________He blushed and looked away, not wanting to admit to having multiple inappropriate dreams about his Soulmate in how he imagined his bedroom would look, but being here now...He suddenly felt nervous._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Are you alright love? We don’t have to?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Vitya, darling. I would really love to. We’ve barely had time to ourselves in months.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Mmmm~ Very true~!” He lifted him up again and threw him back onto the bed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________Yuuri bounced, pulling a giggle from his lips and Viktor shed an item of clothing the closer he got. By the time he was on top of him, the Russian was just discarding his underwear somewhere on the floor. Yuuri could see how achingly hard he was, and he subconsciously licked his lips watching him move to remove the Japanese man’s clothes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“See something you like Yuyu~?” He teased._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Maybe~!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Well well well~ If you’re a good boy I’ll let you touch~”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Vitya~~!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Be a good little Katsudon~ Da~?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________The words, the tone, everything about what Viktor just said went straight to Yuuri’s dick, dragging a quiet whine from him, which only grew as the Russian started grinding against him. It was strange for a second, being able to do this without fear of his family walking in, or someone hearing them through the ridiculously thin walls._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Now Yuyu, listen to me very carefully. You’re going to stay very very still, while I…” He gently traced his thumb over Yuuri’s bottom lip. “Fuck that pretty little mouth of yours until it’s bright red~! That ok~?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yes! Please Vitya~!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________The Russian smirked as he gently guided his cock into Yuuri’s eagerly waiting mouth. Viktor’s dick had held Yuuri in something of a fascination ever since he discovered he liked men. His costumes had always been tight, but left enough to the imagination that his more...avid fans (Yuuri not included) would discuss it on strange forums. He did wonder though, and knowing that he may be one of the few people to actually see it was...dizzying, he even completely forgot the fact that said dick was currently moving in and out of his mouth._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Yuyu? Are you alright? Do you want to stop?” Viktor was looking down at him, concerned._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________He nodded as best he could, and when Yuuri managed to get his point across to the Russian, he started to move his hips harder, making Yuuri gasp and sputter. The Japanese man had never done this before, but he’d be lying if the sight of Viktor, fucking his face as if it was the most amazing thing he’d ever experienced. Without even a little warning, Viktor pushed himself all the way into Yuuri’s mouth as he leaned over to get something, forcing the younger man to pull off of him, choking and gasping._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Ah, Yuyu, I’m so sorry! I was just…” He held up a bottle of lube, that must have been what he was reaching for._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“I-it’s fine. Just….a bit of warning next time. Ok, Vitya?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Of course of course! Do you want to continue?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Would...it be ok if we didn’t?” He mumbled, throat feeling raw from the harsh coughing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Of course it is Yuuri. Do you want to sleep?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Please...I guess I’m more tired than I thought.” He laughed softly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________Viktor smiled and slid off of him, wrapping them both in the bed sheets that were surprisingly warm since they haven’t been slept in for a while. Or maybe that was Viktor’s warm body being so close to him. Something he never realised about the Russian, was that despite living and growing up in such a cold country, he was the literal definition of a human radiator. He was constantly giving off a warm glow that made Yuuri want to stay as close as he could to the man, which was a little difficult when they were skating. He smiled a little as he felt his Soulmate press a gentle kiss to his cheek._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Sleep well Yuyu. I love you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“You too. I love you too.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________It hit him then, that this was how the two of them would be spending most nights now. Not only wrapped in the same blanket, that wasn’t new, but in a space that was totally theirs. Sure, maybe Yurio would come into it at some point, but the more he thought about it that wasn’t something he minded. If he was totally honest, the idea of skating with new rink mates, never mind the fact that he’d still be skating for Japan even though he was training in Russia, under a Russian coach, with Russian rink mates, was completely and utterly terrifying. In a way all of this was. He could barely speak enough Russian to get by, though he was learning, he had no concept of the currency, and Viktor’s old coach scared the living day lights out of him. And yet...the way he was now, curled up with Viktor spooning him...it didn’t seem that scary, even though that opinion may change by the morning, his Soulmate would help him through it. Because that was their love, and no one could take that from them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

____________________________________“Thank you...Viktor...for showing me the colour of your soul.” He whispered, knowing full well the Russian couldn’t hear him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually at a kind of loss for words that this is the last chapter.  
> I've put so many weeks of work into it, struggled with writers block and lack of motivation.  
> And now it's ending.  
> But I'm really glad I wrote this, that I uploaded it, and all of you who read it have enjoyed it.  
> I know the last line is kind of cheesy, but I thought it was kind of cute too.  
> Plus who doesn't love Viktor and Yuuri being cheesy love birds!  
> I am considering writing some side stories for it, like what happened at the two banquets, Yurio's birthday, Yurio with Viktor before Yuuri comes in etc.  
> I definitely want to do the Viktuuri wedding for this at some point!  
> I'd appreciate it if you guys could let me know what you think of me doing that!  
> But for now, this is the end of this story.  
> I hope I can continue to right more for you in the future.  
> Follow my Tumblr for story updates: https://thelittleleprechaun.tumblr.com/

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I didn't know this was gonna go up on the anniversary!   
> That's super cool!  
> Can't believe it's been a year since Yuri!!! On Ice came into my life either!  
> I hope the banquet scene is ok.  
> I didn't want to make it too long for the chapter.  
> I may do a spin off one shot just of the Banquet though?  
> Also for those wondering Viktor and Chris are going to apologise to Yuuri for making him drink.  
> It's gonna be in the next chapter when they've woken up.  
> Let me know if you guys would want to see that.


End file.
